Three Minutes Too Fast
by cerespallas
Summary: Selphie and Seifer/Quistis and Squall - In this altered version of FF8 world, Seifer faces another destiny when Selphie's act changes the course of history. A different fate he never thought he'd have, shaping dissimilar future for the rest of them. A complete tweak of FF8 game.
1. I lost my Chocobag!

**Before we begin...**

Story type: 'What if' universe of FF8 world canon, complete tweak of FF8 story

Genre: Adventure/Humor/Romance

Pairings: Seifer x Selphie, Squall x Quistis

Warnings: blood, action, profanity, (as of now) no NSFW scenes

_- About my stories:_

Maybe it's best to say that I never create a perfect character. Everybody has flaws, and if a character has to suffer to make a believable flow, I am sure to make them suffer. Nobody escapes what needs to be done.

If you want a character that never suffers, perfect in attitude and appearance, never sweats, never have their clothes torn from fights or have his/her hair ruined or even a scrape after blowing up the world, my story isn't for you. To blow up a garbage bin, the characters in my story WILL suffer.

If there's any problem with wording and error in my old fics, please mention it, because I do revise everything every now and then. If some stories seem awkward on the first few chapters, please note the publish date, because it was most likely _they were old_. Later chapters of the same fics won't have this issue. Please tell me by PM or review, and I'll be sure to clean them up.

_- Disclaimer and story explanation:_

This story contains twists in the canon story. I don't own FF8, except three copies of the game, and I've played it repeatedly before I attempted to write this. Many things will change. Some of the canon events will remain the same. All I try to do is to fill all the loopholes and satisfy my own overactive imagination. Some of the readers will think that this story is insane, but so did the canon story in general. I'll cherish every comment and try to make this story as fun as possible. Thank you for reading in advance.

* * *

**Three Minutes Too Fast**

By Cerespallas

**Chapter I: I lost my Choco bag!**

* * *

The sound of gunblades clashing against each other had brought her into the scene.

It was two hours before her first morning class, so when she saw her object of affection made his way from his dorm toward the Garden gate she quietly followed.

_No, I am not a stalker… _Quistis Trepe sighed as she hid herself behind the tree, twenty meters from the action.

This was not the way an instructor supposed to behave, spying her two students fighting each other in what the students said, 'The gunblade match of the century'. Those who said so had never met another gunbladers than Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy. Balamb Garden was too small, and most of the occupants never stepped out from the Garden, other than visiting Balamb Town and Fire Cavern. A SeeD such as herself, however, had travelled the world to see and experience another culture and scene. She, herself, had endured so much before applying as an instructor in the happy, idyllic B-Garden.

_Enough about me_, Quistis chided herself. _Those two are at it again…_

Her eyes widened when Squall fell, his hand holding his forehead, blood dripping down from his face. She debated over herself whether to stop their imprudence or simply stayed in her hiding. Squall glanced up and glared at Seifer. Quistis held her ground, sighing in relief.

_He's not hurting his eyes._

The last thing she wanted was for her crush to become half-blind, it would destroy his future. Quistis bit her lip, intently watching the rest of the fight. After Squall had taken his vengeance on Seifer and scarred his forehead as well, the boys glared at each other until both collapsed to the ground of Rinauld plains, at the same time. Shaking her head at their perseverance, Quistis emerged from her hiding place and walked towards her fainted students. She gazed down to the pool of blood, two gunblades and the two offenders of the almost-horror scene.

_This is stupid. They are stupid. Agh, they are young and stupid._

Quistis crouched down and cast Cure, _simple and basic_ Cure, to Seifer and Squall. She didn't want them to wake up good and refreshed, only to go at it again the next day. After she was sure their wounds were not severe, Quistis reached down to her belt, taking out her PCS and calling someone that she knew would treat them.

"Dr. K? This is Quistis. Can you send two cadets to Rinauld Plains? I found Squall and Seifer here. No, they are okay. Oh, and can you do me a favour?"

Quistis looked down, watching the fresh, raw scars on Squall and Seifer's foreheads.

"When they arrive, don't give them anything to close the scar on their face. Yeah, they scarred each other. No, no, it's time for them to learn. Maybe _this_ time, a permanent reminder will tell them how alike they really are."

-x-

-x-

**_-This is the last stop. Balamb. I repeat: this is the last stop, Balamb.-_**

Selphie Tilmitt jolted up from her train seat, her eyes wide. She snapped her head and looked around, noticing there was no one else in the train except her. Then she saw the door closing on her.

Shrieking, Selphie ran to the automatic doors. In the last seconds, she slid out of the train and fell onto the station floor.

"Ooouwwie…" Selphie groaned before bringing herself up. She shouldn't be sleeping on the train. Just because she'd had a late farewell party with her friends, three hours before she got into the train, Selphie'd fallen asleep during her journey.

_My first trip away from Trabia and I wasn't even enjoying the scene!_

Selphie sighed, reaching her hand up. She couldn't feel the slack belt on her shoulder. Selphie's eyes grew wide as she turned around. Bit by bit, the train had crawled away, leaving the Balamb Station.

-Along with _her_ Chocobo backpack inside.

"No!" She squealed and ran, trying to stop the train that had kidnapped her bag. "Stop! My Choco bag!"

But the laws of physic were against her. One, the train was huge. She was not. Two, an unHynely amount of Fira stone fuelled the train. She only had two cups of coffee before falling asleep. Therefore, it was only natural that the Intercontinental Train ran faster than the small brunette did, leaving its parting horn to mock the Trabian cadet that once again, falling onto the cold hard floor of Balamb Station, before it disappeared completely from her range of sight.

_No, my backpack… all my treasure… my money… mom's pictures… my friend's farewell letter…_

Selphie felt her eyes begin to water and she curled up in her spot, ready to cry out and wail. All her belongings were gone, and she only had her cadet's uniform that she wore, her ID card and 50 Gil that Mia Tilmitt slipped into her daughter's skirt pocket, when she had reminded her-once again-to always keep a small change in her pocket, for emergency situation.

Well, that only showed her that her mother was smart and she was not. How could it be-the gentle and kind headmistress of T-Garden had a slob and forgetful daughter like her? It was a miracle of a gene. _Or maybe a defective one. _

Just before she began to let out her famous wailing cry, a small hand tapped her shoulder. Selphie looked up, into a coffee-coloured eye behind green turtle-framed glasses.

"Are you okay?" The raven-haired teen smiled to her. "Did you leave your bag inside the train?"

Selphie bit her lip, nodding. She looked around her and noticed that the Balamb Station was empty. There were only five people in the station: a stationmaster, a ticket seller, a rich-looking woman and them.

The raven-haired girl was wearing glasses and pulling her hair back into a simple ponytail. She wore a blue T-shirt and blue jeans. A blue medium backpack adored her back, no doubt for housing her belongings. She helped Selphie stand up, sighing. "I'm sorry I didn't wake you. I'm sitting across your seat the entire time, but I can't help waking you; you look so tired. If I did, you won't lose your bag. I'm really sorry."

Selphie smiled dejectedly and shook her head. "It's not your fault! I'm the one to blame, leaving my belongings seated next to mine like that. It's really stupid, not to mention I was sleeping the whole time!"

"Well, it's not going to come back. Your bag, I mean. The train only comes here once a day and before that, there is no way someone's not going to grab your bag before the janitor notices."

_Oh well.._.

"Are you a Garden cadet?" The glasses girl continued, "I'm going to the B-Garden. Do you want to go together?"

"I'm from Trabia, new transfer! You're a cadet too?"

"No, I'm going there to meet my boyfriend. Kind of miss him." The glasses girl grinned. "The rules of the Garden are all the same, right? Is it okay for a guest to visit without notation?"

"Yeah, it's cool. He just has to pick you up at the gate and accompany you through the facility! Oh, by the way…" Selphie held out her hand and said, "Name's Selphie Tilmitt!"

The glasses girl shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Selphie. My name is—" she hesitated before saying, "Heartily Caraway. Call me Tilly."

"Tilly." Selphie tilted her head. "I want to go with you, but I have no weapon. If we go through the road without one, we're going to be busted by monsters in no time!"

Tilly frowned at this. She tapped her pocket. "Well, I only have some Gil. We can't rent a car with only 500 Gil…"

Selphie motioned her new friends to get out from Station together. "Let's see… maybe if we run along, there's a fewer monster going after us…"

Tilly walked along the Station Gate, down the stairs. "I have a weapon, I use projectile weapons. Maybe we can reach Garden without too many fights…" She stopped and turned around, noticing how the rich-looking woman shook her head and groaned at them when they passed. "Can I help you, Ma'am?"

The woman looked at Tilly, her face showed her boredom. "There are only two of you from today's morning train? Great, I'm bored to death here. Listen, want to play some cards?"

The two teens stared at the woman bemusedly, before Tilly shook her head. "No, I'm not a good one. Sorry, Ma'am, but we have to…"

"If you win, I'll get out of here," said the rich woman.

Yeah, and that was going to help them-how?

"Uh... That is not a very interesting bet, Ma'am..." informed Selphie. Not that she was about to sacrifice her only 50 Gil for a Card game anyway.

"Well, how about this; I overheard your conversation. If you win, I'll buy you your choice of weapon."

The two teens looked at the woman with wide eyes. Was she serious? Did she know how much a weapon cost?

The woman crossed her arms. "How about it?"

"No way!" exclaimed Selphie began to bounce. "Nunchaku is so expensive! And… and I don't have money to bet!"

The woman waved her hand. "I don't need money. I'm the Queen of Cards, my dad owns the Card Company. Why would I rob two skinny kids? If you lost, you will pay me with labour work. You're a Garden cadet, right? If you happen to meet me in your journey as a SeeD, you WILL be my courier. That equals a basic Nunchaku."

Tilly gasped. This woman was the Queen of Cards? Her dad lost a lot of his Cards to her!

Selphie thought about it. The bet was crazy, but she wouldn't be allowed to go into her SeeD exam without a weapon. She nodded her head. "Okay! What's the rule?" Her companion sighed and drew her card out from her backpack.

-x-

-x-

"Squall… so we meet again…"

Squall tilted his head up from the infirmary pillow. From the window near the head of his bed, a woman smiled to him. She wore a blue shirt and white skirt, her arms covered with a shawl. She stayed there for a minute watching him before walking away.

Puzzled, Squall kept lying on his bed and stared at the window before his homeroom instructor, Quistis Trepe, arrived.

Quistis crossed her arms and studied her student. _He's not learning any lesson, isn't he?_ "I knew it'd either be you or Seifer! Come on, let's go. Today's the field exam."

-x-

-x-

Selphie held the last of Tilly's card. The card owner peered from Selphie's shoulder, trying to see if her companion was going to win. With a sad huff and her head low, Selphie dropped her last card.

"Sorry, Tilly… She's good," whispered Selphie, ashamed of losing Tilly's card.

The Queen of Card smirked and chose Mesmerize and Buel card. "Well, it's not like you lost a good Card either. These are very basic! I'm impressed you don't lose all of your Cards to my level 6." She stood up, collecting her cards. "Now, ready for your first assignment?"

The two teens glanced up to their new boss with mixed feelings. Selphie stood up. "Okay, so, what is it?"

The woman narrowed her eyes to them. "There was this big, dumb man. He was supposed to take up my luggage from the port to my hotel room. He hasn't come back; it's four hours already! Go and help him, and get me two sets of shoes that I ordered from the shop across the port. Go!"

Selphie and Tilly headed toward the port. The town was pretty and peaceful. The girls passed a drunk-looking man who perched against the chair outside the station, half-dead to the world. The port was right beside the Balamb hotel. In the corner was a high pile of stacks of boxes, filled with fishes and fruits. Crows hung out on the floor of the sturdy-looking wooden planks.

"Is that him?" Tilly pointed to the big, dark skinned man with a white tank top and baggy black pants. He dragged up a massive, damp travel bag from the water, his body soaking wet.

"Hey!" Selphie called the man, who turned to them. He looked sheepish. "Is that Card Queen's luggage?"

"Eh… dropped it, ya know." The man grinned. "Supposed to take it from the ship safely, but I dropped it in the water, ya know..."

Tilly looked at the bag. "So you jumped into the water?"

"More like diving, ya know. Can't see anything under water, so dark, gotta hold on to the blocks to trace it, ya know." The man shook his head. "Fujin's gonna kicked me again, ya know, I lost all her Card. You two lost to her, too?"

-x-

-x-

_Ahh… what a happy day! Yeah! If I get my hot dogs and score the field exam, today's gonna be the best day of my life!_

With that thought, Zell Dincht skipped from his dorm to the hall. He woke up earlier this morning, just so he wouldn't miss the batch of fresh hot dogs coming today. How the other cadets managed to get it before him always baffled him.

_What is it with people and them trying to take my hot dogs away from me?_

In the hall, Zell turned his head to the left and right, looking to make sure a certain blonde with a gunblade and nasty-looking grey trench coat wasn't in his usual spot. The tall blond wasn't there-neither was his posse.

_Good, he's not here._

"Zell!"

Zell turned around; three girls headed toward him. Two of the girls dragged a pigtail girl with books in her hands.

"Zell," one of the girls started, "you want to borrow 'Goodbye Pupurun', right?"

"What? Oh, yeah!" These girls were those librarians. He had been asking for the series so many times, yet he'd never bothered to remember their faces. "Well… where is it?"

The other girl smirked and winked at her pigtail friend. "You see Zell; this one knows where it is. But she got _sooo_ many books to arrange she lost it in the list!"

"Yes!" exclaimed another girl. "We had to go to Balamb, for potions and stuff for today's Field Exam; we can't help her sorting those books. So, Zell." She turned her head to the oblivious tattoo boy. "If you help her, we'll let you keep 'Goodbye Pupurun' for two months! _And her_, if you want…"

Zell only heard the first part while the pigtail girl blushed furiously. "Really? Woohoo!" He jumped and punched his fist in the air. "Sure! Let's began now!" He stopped and thought aloud, "This won't take long, right? 'Coz I got a hot dog to eat and all…"

"No, not at all. Only a few minutes…" Zell failed to see the girls crossing their fingers on their backs. "So, you better start now, right? See ya!" The two girls left their friends with the boy. When Zell began to pace onto the library, they gave their pigtail friends four thumbs up.

-x-

-x-

"Here it is!"

Selphie showed two boxes of shoes in her hands to the Queen, who motioned them to follow her. She stopped in front of Balamb Hotel and held out her hands. Selphie and Tilly gave the boxes to her.

"Is there anything else?" Selphie couldn't wait to dash to B-Garden. If she ran, she might make it to her first homeroom.

"Good, my servants. Now, little cadet, your weapon is waiting for you in the junk shop. Just tell them I sent you. You, little glasses girl, are going with me. I need me a helper."

Selphie gasped. "What? But I lost!"

"Yes, but if you don't have a weapon you won't make it to SeeD, little cadet, and I won't have a courier." The woman dropped the boxes to Tilly's open arms. "Let's go, little glasses girl. Put it in my room." She walked inside the Balamb hotel, not waiting for their reaction.

Selphie grinned to Tilly. "Sorry, Tilly! If only I win, you won't be doing this…"

"It's okay." Tilly stuck out her tongue. "I'm not in actual hurry, and I like shopping! Plus my boyfriend has no idea I'm here." Tilly said, "Maybe it's better for you to go to B-Garden first. A transfer has to set her schedule, right?"

"Yes, and actually, I have a homeroom right about now…"

"Well, you have to go then! Hurry! I'll catch up with you!"

"I have SeeD Exam this afternoon; maybe we'll meet again tonight?"

"Sure! See you later!"

"Okay! Oh, and Tilly, please say thank you to the Queen from me!"

-x-

-x-

Seifer narrowed his eyes to the big lump of Raijin, who was wailing in front of Trepe's classroom. He stepped out from his homeroom and stood next to Fujin. "What's this?"

Fujin's eyes were glaring at her curling brother on the floor, as if kicking him and stomping on his back was not enough. "STUPID."

"Sorry, Fujin! Ya know, it's not on purpose!" wailed Raijin, still in his pitiful position. He knew if he got up now he'd get another kick. "She's really good, ya know!"

Seifer noticed that Raijin was wet. He smelled like fish. He sweated, which made him smell incredibly awful. Seifer shook his head, thinking _I don't want to know…_

Fujin glanced at Seifer's scarred forehead. "HURTS?"

A smirk tugged Seifer's lips. "Nah, not really. Thanks for waking me before Trepe arrived, Fuu." He touched his scar. Now he had a memento of his rival. _Just great… _He scowled. Seifer glanced into the glass door. His dear instructor was talking to Squall. She always acted so kind around his rival. Yet she snapped her every word to him.

_Figures… she needs to know a stuck-up person to be one…_ "Come on, guys. We got a 'Chicken' to fry."

-x-

-x-

Selphie ran. She hopped on the gate's railing, ignoring the warning shout of the gatekeeper. Her new Nunchaku strapped on her back. With one last took of breath she flew right into the elevator and almost crashed her body against the wall. Pressing the close button, she tried to keep her breath steady.

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm LATE!"

When the elevator opened on the second floor, Selphie sprinted to the classroom, which location she'd memorized from the B-Garden map she got back in Trabia...Only to crash against a male student. They both took the impact; she fell backward while he managed to stop himself from falling down.

"Waaah!" she cried. _Yeowch…_. _Numb… my luck is running out today…_

"Are you ok?"

She glanced up, to the teen she bumped into. He's handsome, with a lean frame, brown silky hair and long bangs covering his blue eyes. Selphie caught a glimpse of scar on his forehead.

_Maybe my luck's getting better… _She jumped, grinning and tilting her head. _Okay, let's see… how about asking him to show me around? How do I do that? Oh, I know! Ask him if the homeroom's over! Yay, I'm so smart!_

-x-

-x-

"What do you mean, there's no 'Goodbye Pupurun'?" Zell tried to keep his voice down. _I'm wasting two hours of my morning helping her, and now no 'Goodbye Pupurun'!_

The pigtail girl swallowed and looked down to the floor. What was that her friends taught her to say again? Oh, yeah. "Apparently a Book Club member took it and he hasn't returned it yet... I have no idea, since the list was messy…"

Zell scowled and looked at the wall clock. _The hot dogs! My precious hot dogs! _"If you get it, make sure I get it first, okay!" He turned and ran, leaving the library in a mad dash.

The pigtail girl bowed her head low, cursing. Once again, she had no chance even to pull out her ticket for 'Free Hot Dog day on Balamb Café'. This was going nowhere.

-x-

-x-

Quistis stood still in her practiced position, waiting for him. Squall would be there any minute, ready to go to the Fire Cavern with her. She was actually glad he had that stupid duel this morning. He had to have this date with her.

_Okay, fighting Ifrit and sweating like a boiled Chocobo inside the Fire Cavern might not be a good first date… _she thought, _oh, who am I kidding? It's not a date; it's a damn GF test!_

Quistis turned her head when the sound of car tires screeching to a stop. It was a rented blue car with chauffeur from Balamb. The boy who rented the car moved out of the passenger seat after giving the chauffeur a tip. He was wearing a Galbadian cadet uniform. A simple, black military backpack straddled his back. The Galbadian cadet stopped when he noticed her.

"Trey," he greeted, accessorising his face with a sweet smile.

Quistis blinked. "…Nida?"

Nida tilted his head, replying with a happy tone, "Yeah?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking the SeeD exam."

"What?"

"A SeeD exam, Trey… You know, to be a SeeD you have to-"

"Nida, I _know_ what SeeD exam is. I mean, why not in Galbadia?"

"Why not in here?"

Quistis narrowed her eyes to her ex-boyfriend, who pouted and answered, "Well, Martine get on my nerves. He said I don't have to be a SeeD to make money. If I stay and be like Kino, I won't run away from him like you."

Quistis massaged her temple. The headmaster still thought that she left because she refused to work for him again. It was only half-true. "Nida, my name here is Trepe. No one knows me as Trey, and I certainly don't want anyone to know."

"Okay. _Trepe_. I heard you're working as an instructor here. Good life?"

Quistis smirked. "It's… pretty okay."

"The money sucks."

She laughed. How she missed him. "Yeah. Back then, there's nobody who made more than we did. But I can still eat cheese and drink cheap wine from my measly pay now."

Nida grinned and crossed his arms. "Don't you miss being active once in a while? When I pass this SeeD test, I'm going to be a mechanic. I think I'm going to miss those days, when only the three of us running around…"

Quistis nodded, continuing for him, "…Being stupid and acting like we haven't finished the mission to get more days of drinking and smoking…" She missed it, as bad as she missed her two partners. "I haven't smoked after transferring here. Being instructor means I have to follow the rules."

"Sounds boring," Nida said, "…yet you choose this kind of life than to be with me."

The two of them exchanged grim smiles. There was a bigger, more important reason why Quistis left, and it had nothing to do with Nida. The truth was, she had begged for him to go with her.

"…But back then I was still a cadet." Nida rubbed his neck. "A dependent cadet. I couldn't do anything but to watch my girl left. Maybe it's for the best."

"…Maybe."

"Hey Trey… sorry, Trepe… If I score the Field Exam today, do you want to hang out in Balamb? I'll fill you on Kino."

"About his constant failure wooing any living creature that walks on two legs? Sure, why not?" Quistis wondered how Kino was. "Just make sure you got out from the exam alive. No one really remembers you, so they may not realize they have you on their team."

Nida snickered at their old joke. "Hey, that's my job. No one should remember me." He waved to Quistis as he made his way to the gate.

-x-

-x-

Tilly looked out from her seat in the rented car. After she helped the Queen with her shopping bags (lots and lots of it), the queen insisted her to go to the salon with her and had her hair dyed blonde.

_You're plain, little glasses girl; she said… _Tilly thought with a roll of her eyes. _Huff, I'm PLAIN? Come on. Well, thank Hyne it's not all blonde..._ She absent-mindedly stroked the blond highlights on the sides of her head, separating her black hair.

There was a reason why she had to look so humble. It was hard for a general's daughter to go under the radar with her usual clothes. She managed to get a train from Timber to Balamb last night and sat quietly across the sleeping Trabian cadet.

_What's her name again? Selvi? Telphie? Silvie? Oh well… it's not as if she's going to recognize me later..._

The Queen of Card had given her three thousand Gil to rent a car. Tilly thanked her profusely, since she was not that capable of fighting monsters. The woman dismissed her and headed back to the hotel without even looking back.

From the edge of her glasses, Tilly spotted a male in black leather jacket and a woman, in a peach-coloured suit, running toward a big cave near the beach. They disappeared from her range of sight a minute later.

_SeeD… If Seifer was right, I need them to help me… _she thought.

The car arrived at the Garden five minutes later. Tilly gave a tip for the chauffeur before getting out of the car, taking her first look of Balamb Garden. Her grip on her backpack tightened. She didn't lie; she only had five hundred Gil for her journey. Ten thousand Gil sewn inside the safety pocket in her backpack belonged to her, Zone and Watts. The money wasn't for her.

She glanced down at her growling stomach. She hoped Seifer wanted to treat her.

-x-

-x-

Seifer smirked at Zell who scowled and muttered under his breath. The tattooed boy turned away from him, his head low. Not only did Dincht fail to get his hot dogs, he also score his usual detention of speeding, courtesy of the Disciplinary Committee.

**_-Seifer Almasy, please come to the gate. I repeat, Seifer Almasy to the gate.-_**

Seifer looked up as if he could see the man behind the PA. "…The hell?" he muttered under his breath. His shift just begun, and the Exam was still 3 hours to go. What did anyone want with him at the gate?

He turned to his posse. "Okay, I'm going. This might take some time, so you guys go first. Take care of 'The List'. Oh, and save Chicken-wuss for me." Raijin and Fujin nodded.

Seifer manoeuvred from his standing spot in the hall to the gate. _Let's see who wants me at the gate now. Maybe instructor and her kitty are back. Nah, Kitty just leaves for a few minutes_. _Has Trepe notice the culprit behind her famous photo on the Garden website? …Nah, it takes weeks or a Chicken-wuss to trace that. _

_Don't tell me Kitty just has a chance to look at the mirror now and whine about the scar. Maybe the instructor forgets her cat food. After all, hungry kitty does scratch._

Seifer chuckled at his own imagination as he entered the gate area. The area was almost empty; there were only an old sleepy gatekeeper and one girl around. She wore a dull-looking glasses and blue coloured clothes.

W_ait a minute—_

Seifer's eyes widened. He recognized the girl. She squealed and ran to hug him. Seifer only had a chance to open his arms and think of one thought as Rinoa Heartily Caraway ran into his embrace.

_Why now?_

* * *

**_To Be Continued…_**


	2. Gimme something to eat, please

**Chapter II: Gimme something to eat, please…**

* * *

"And that's the story!"

Selphie waited for the response from the man behind the desk. She had showed him her ID card and waited while Cid Kramer phoned her mother to explain the situation. Mia Tilmitt wasn't happy, of course, but she knew something like this was bound to happen to her daughter eventually.

Cid studied the five-foot-something girl in front of his desk. He met Mia's daughter sometime ten years ago, under different circumstances. He doubted she remembered him, and he didn't want to bother her with that memory.

"So, Selphie Tilmitt," Cid said, fixing the glasses sliding down his nose. "I'll give you a room and cadet food coupons, but I heard you're going to the Field Exam this afternoon." He took a glance at his watch. "Two and half an hour from now."

"Yes...?"

"So, you might change your status from cadet to SeeD in just a day. The Faculty doesn't want-" he coughed. "I mean, the faculty _feels_ that giving you a room and a month's worth of food coupons for cadet will waste the resources, if you're going to change your status in just a few hours. You understand, of course, all that administration…"

_Oh bummer! I thought I'll get a coupon to eat!_

"Of course, if you decide to have the room and the coupons, you'll have to resign from today's Field Exam and try again the next term." Cid noticed how the girl began to fidget. "I don't see any reason why you should do that. You have the weapon, you have fulfilled all the requirements, and it's only a few hours to go. If you fail today's exam, we will give you the cadet's rights…"

"No, no." Selphie shook her head. "I failed Trabia's field exam last term because of the flu! I don't want to be a cadet any longer! I'm going to do my Field Exam!"

"I see. That's good." Cid smiled and clapped his hands. "Now, another thing-I heard from Mia that you are the head of the Trabian Garden Festival. We have lost our head of the Garden Festival since his transfer to Galbadia. Would you like to take his position?"

Selphie opened her mouth. "R-Really? BOOYAKA!" She jumped and squealed. Selphie loved parties and festivals. "I want to be the head of the Garden Festival in here! When do I start?"

Cid chuckled at the girl's antics. "Well, how about now? It should give you something to do before the exam." He pulled something from his drawer and handed it to Selphie. "This is the Quad key. From now on, you have the right to be in the Quad twenty-four-seven as a Festival Master."

The brunette took the Quad key from Cid. It was a card with long red strap. QK was written with a black big marker on the card. Shaken with excitement, Selphie hanged the Quad Key against her neck. "Thank you so much, Headmaster!"

"You're welcome, Miss Tilmitt."

"Well, I better get started now!" She saluted and sprinted out of the office.

Cid rubbed the back of his head. _That's one spirited soul… I was just about to ask her if she wants some money to get a food in the Cafeteria, but I guess she's not that hungry._

-x-

-x-

"So, you have this all for yourself?"

Seifer sat on his bed, looking at Rinoa who studied his dorm.

"Yeah." _I scare anyone who was assigned to room with me. Now that I think of it, ever since I entered Garden, I roomed with no one. Even Raijin and Fujin roomed together since they're siblings…_

"Hmm. So I guess it's okay for me to sleep in the empty bed next door tonight." Rinoa walked into his small bedroom, her glasses and ponytail long forgotten. She was still wearing her blue shirt and jeans, and her backpack sat next to Seifer.

"Rin, what are you doing here?"

Rinoa smiled, she failed to notice the annoyance in Seifer's tone. "You remember the last time we met? Eight months ago; when you left Deling City?"

"Yeah, you, Zone and Watts were talking about your independence team of some sort, right?"

"Timber Owl. Guess what? We made it! Now we have a full team, a base and a plan!" Rinoa sat on the bed next to Seifer. "You said that you will help us, right?"

"Uh-huh…"

Rinoa looked deep into her boyfriend's eyes. "NOW is the time. I want to hire SeeD. Can you introduce me to someone who's responsible for that?"

Seifer crossed his arms. "…That, I could do."

-x-

Two terms ago, when he failed his SeeD exam, he was devastated and ran away from Garden to Deling. He figured he could work on something else and stop being a failed cadet. He did it for a week being a mail carrier and lived in a small room above the post office. That was when he met Zone and Watts, the two introduced him to Rinoa.

The next two months were a roller coaster ride for him. His girlfriend was wild, happy, stubborn, and an absolute romantic dreamer. That was how they related; he was a hopeless romantic wishing for something out of this world.

Rinoa's dream was more realistic. She wanted to liberate Galbadian cities from the dictator president. Freedom was the goal for them. For a while, Seifer drowned in her dream, agreed to do anything for her, and readied to help her.

Until one day Seifer opened his eyes and realized he'd been living in her dream. When he thought about it, she didn't need him to get any of it.

Seifer was in love, with the love itself.

Fujin's letter came, with only one word. "HOME!"

That was when he decided to go back. His posse needed him more than her, and Rinoa being the General's daughter didn't bode well for them. He didn't want to be known as 'the postman who was fighting for Caraway's daughter.' He needed his own dream.

Rinoa was busy with her plan and didn't stop him. They parted inside the Deling Station, with promises to help each other in times of need and keep in touch.

Days, weeks, months… the letter began to decrease and their relationship slowly dissipated. Seifer failed his next Field Exam, blamed his own foolishness for the two months absence (and Trepe's refusal to tutor him for the missing classes, of course) and slowly forgot about her, only remembered some of their sweet memories.

-x-

"Seifer?" Rinoa watched her boyfriend staring off at nothing.

Seifer turned his head toward her and sighed. "I know Cid. He's the headmaster here. I think he'll meet you if I ask him."

"That would be wonderful."

"Yeah, the thing is... I have a SeeD exam this afternoon, two hours from now. I can't meet him now, so I'll introduce you after I get back."

"Yes, I'd love to!"

"Cool," Seifer muttered under his breath as he stood up from his bed. "I'm still in my shift. You know, I told you I'm a disciplinarian. I can't give you a tour—" Seifer faltered. "There's a friend of mine who never wore her cadet uniform, and I think hers will suit you. That way you can go freely on your own."

Rinoa nodded and clasped her hand on her back, following Seifer out of his bedroom.

"Her name is Fujin; I'll get you to her room. Just remember not to walk into the class or to the third floor. Let's hurry; Chicken's waiting for me."

"They serve chicken here?"

"….Uh, no… well, forget it."

-x-

-x-

In the Quad, Squall saw the girl standing below the construction pillar. He had bumped into her this morning.

He had nothing to do other than waited for the Field Exam to start. Yesterday the Quad was empty. Since the boy who ran the Garden Festival gave up and transferred to G-Garden, there was no one else interested in taking his role. Being a cadet or SeeD didn't exactly come with a lot of spare time.

The girl finally noticed him. "Oh, hi!" She waved. "I'm in charge of the Garden Festival!"

_Yeah, I can see that…_

"Want to join?"

_Uh, let's see… no? _"No." His words came out colder than he intended. The perky brunette took a step back, looked unsure.

"Oh, okay…" her words came sad and pitiful.

Just then, Squall heard a grumble, a low and almost whispered grumble. Frowned, he turned around, trying to find the source of the sound. Unable to locate it, he turned to the girl, who was now sporting a burning red colour on her face.

"Oh… so, I see you later!" She jumped, and without waiting for an answer, ran away leaving the Quad.

_My luck is really running out, isn't it? _Selphie had worked in the Quad, noting every repair and fixes that she had to do, before the pretty boy she bumped into earlier showed up. She hoped that by working, she would forget her hunger.

Her empty stomach had another opinion. Without any coupons, she had to pay for her food. Selphie had no money.

_Well, I have fifty Gil, but that's for one time meal… I don't even have money to buy potions. If I get hurt on the field exam... _Selphie entered the cafeteria. It would be worse if she didn't eat before her exam. If she were a SeeD, she could take a SeeD loan (in ten-percent-charge per week).

Selphie got in the line to order food. _This makes my reason to be a SeeD stronger! If I fail after all this, I'd embarrassed myself! _She chose a fish salad and a glass of water, which seemingly the cheapest of all the food lined up.

The cashier finished counting. "Okay, got a coupon?"

"No."

"That would be ninety Gil, thanks."

"WHAAAT?" Selphie screamed, the whole cafeteria looking at her. "That's… that's… too… expensive!"

"Well, you don't have a coupon, miss."

"How-how much is this salad?"

"The bottle of water is twenty Gil. So the salad is seventy."

"Noooo…." Selphie fell into the floor, careless about the fuss she was making. "How can it be? A bottle of water only cost five Gil in Trabia!" She whined. "I'm not going to full with only water…"

"…Miss, please step away from the line. The others are waiting to pay for their meal."

"I'm hungry…" Selphie covered her face. "I'm dying…"

"There's another proper place to die, Miss. Now if you can step off—"

Just then, a male voice cut off the cashier. "I'll pay for her. Get her a big burger, another bottle of water and a pack of chips."

Everyone gasped, while Selphie stared up to her rescuer. He wore a big grey trench coat, massive gunblade strapped to his hips and he was tall. Since Selphie crouched on the floor, she couldn't see his face or his hair, as the man stood so close to her.

"That would be 250 Gil, Almasy." The cashier accepted his money and handed him the tray.

"Here, Filly. Stop crying." The man put the tray on top of her head. Selphie quickly held the tray, trying to balance them.

"Let's go, Rin. I know a better place to eat." The male turned around, holding the waist of a female cadet. Selphie couldn't see him from her view below her tray. The female cadet giggled, swinging a plastic full of food in her hands, cooing to her boyfriend. "That is so sweet of you!"

Selphie held her precious tray of food in front of her, standing up. She looked down and gasped. A fish salad, two bottles of water, a big burger and one big pack of chips. She turned her head to the entrance of the Cafeteria, trying to locate the Trench Coat guy, but he had gone out of view.

-x-

An hour and half later, with a full stomach and a very happy mood, Selphie stood in front of the directory.

The instructors were talking to each other while the cadets stood in line. A thirty-something instructor walked to them and announced "Squad A: Nida Roe, Selphie Tilmitt, Emil Jeffres."

The three people in list stepped forward.

"The Squad leader is Nida Roe." The instructor nodded to the male cadet with average looks and tall frame. "My name is Instructor Aki. I will be your Squad Supervisor."

-x-

"Squall! Over here!"

Squall located his instructor. In front of the directory, there were already a dozen cadets and four instructors.

"Glad you made it. I'll be announcing the squad assignments for the exam now," Quistis said. "Let's see. You're in... Squad B. Seems you're going to team up with Zell Dincht." She looked at him. "Quite a lively fellow."_ Which I'm sure you knew already._

Squall tried to think of another Zell Dincht, but there was only one Zell in this Garden. _Zell Dincht! No way, my roommate? He's rowdy! Brash, hot tempered, even if he's skilled!_

"Lively? He's just loud. Can't I switch members?" Squall put a hand on his hip.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Quistis motioned to someone behind Squall. "Over here, Zell!"

Fresh from the detention room, Zell decided to make a cool entrance. He kicked and punched the air before back-somersaulting towards them.

"WHOA! I'm with you?" Zell grinned to his roommate. Wiping off his right hand on his pants, he held it out, only to be ignored by Squall. He scowled, but somewhat used to it. "You don't get along with Seifer, do you? I heard he whooped you pretty _bad_ this morning."

Squall crossed his arms. "We weren't fighting. We were training."

"I bet you he doesn't think so. Look, Seifer's just being a pain in the ass. All you have to do is ignore him."

_Why don't YOU ignore me?_ "That's—"

"—none of your business." Quistis finished his words. Squall glared at his instructor, who looked like she always knew what he's thinking. Quistis smiled. "Excuse me... But that Seifer you're talking about... He's your squad leader."

"SAY WHAT?" Zell took a step back. _Hyne, NO!_

"It can't be changed. Seifer! Are you here?"

"Yes, dear instructor." Seifer walked in his grand entrance, ignoring the annoyed glares of three people. Equipped with his posse behind him, he smirked and crossing his arms.

"You're the squad leader," Quistis said in a dead tone. _This won't bode well for anyone…_ "Well, good luck to all of you."

"Instructor, I hate it when people wish me luck. Save those words for a bad student that needs them, eh?" said Seifer, still sporting his sideways smirk.

"Okay, then..." Quistis crossed her arm and letting out her sweetest smile. "Good luck, Seifer."

Seifer narrowed his eyes, and turned his head to his posse. "Add instructor Trepe to the list!"

_The List?_

"Well, we've got all squad B members here. I'll be the instructor in charge. Teamwork is of the utmost importance. Let's get through this exam, everyone!" Quistis smiled at her Squad. There is no doubt in her mind that the TEAMWORK in this Squad was going to be the worst throughout Field Exam history.

"Listen up!" Zell and Squall turned their head to Seifer. "Teamwork means staying out of my way. That's a Squad B rule! Don't forget it."

As Zell's body began to tremble while thinking of 101 Ways to Strangle Seifer Almasy, Squall crossed his arms and turned his head to the side. _I'm not going to pass this term, am I? Better think of ways to help Zell remove Almasy's corpse when he's done…_

-x-

-x-

"Where's your bag?"

Selphie looked up, from her lap to the Squad Leader in her right. "Huh?"

Nida showed his black waist-pocket bag. "You don't bring any items? In Galbadia, we need to use this. Where did you put your items?"

_In my backpack, which is somewhere in this big, wide world…_ "I don't bring any item…"

Nida stared at her for a minute, before deciding on something. He sat up straight, removed his waist bag and handed it to Selphie. "There's three bottles of potions, one antidote and two phoenix downs… and one stick of chocolate."

"No! I can't, they're your items!"

Emil glanced at his squad, keeping his half-sleeping pose in their squad car. Instructor Aki sat next to him, his eyes watching the exchange.

"I'm a martial artist." Nida shoved his bag to Selphie. "This actually obstructs me. You use a Nunchaku."

"But, Nida! You can't go through the exam without items!"

"But you can, huh?" Nida smirked, seeing Selphie's eyes grew wide. "I'm the squad leader. Listen to me."

"What if you got hurt?"

"Then you stay close to me."

Emil snorted, closing his eyelids. Instructor Aki took a deep breath. The cadets had no idea that the instructors were there to grade on their behaviours as well as their skills in battle.

So far, the common Galbadian cadet scored twenty points.

-x-

-x-

Quistis resisted the urge to smack Seifer in the head. She kept her sitting pose in perfect military standard, something that was ingrained in her ever since she was nine.

_If I got my own way, I'd strangle Seifer with my whip, duct-tape Zell's mouth and throw them into the sea._

She got a glimpse of the water outside their sea vessel to Dollet. Their journey toward Balamb inside the Garden vehicle was nothing if not noisy. Zell was easy to tick, and Seifer was too arrogant for his own good. So far, Quistis had reduced their behaviour point to minus forty points each. She knew they would decrease it more.

The door to the control room opened. A woman with SeeD uniform walked in, smiling when she saw Quistis. Xu was the second in command for Cid. She was Quistis's best friend ever since the instructor transferred to Balamb. Quistis raised her eyebrows when Xu narrowed her eyes to the lazy lump that was Seifer. They never made up ever since he played a nasty prank on her in his first field exam.

-x-

-x-

The SeeD pointed at the map. "Squad A will act as the intelligence team that gathers information from every Squad and delivers the message. Dollet bar will be your base, your mission ended on call. Memorize the Dollet blueprint now. Any question?"

Selphie raised her hand excitedly. "So we're the delivery guys?"

The SeeD that gave them the intro coughed into his fist. "Something like that, but—"

"Do we handle any machinery?" continued the small cadet, bouncing in her seat.

"No."

"Are we going to blow any bomb?"

"Uh… No."

"So there is no BOOOM?" Selphie opened up her arms wide, almost hitting Nida in the process. The G-cadet ducked in time.

"No. Your Squad has to deal with no bomb or machinery. Don't worry."

"Oh well. I was thinking we could blow them to smithereens…Boo…" Selphie bowed her head low. Nida and Emil looked at her, horrified. Instructor Aki hid his smile.

"Aaah…" The SeeD turned to the Instructor, asking for help. He waved his hand, dismissing him.

After the SeeD left, Instructor Aki caught a glimpse of Dollet outside their small window. He stood up, motioned for his three cadets to follow.

"Listen, I won't be joining you. Take care of yourself and each other. Now, prepare yourself. We land in twenty seconds."

* * *

**_To be Continued…_**

* * *

Next chapter:

_Dollet mission… first move that changes everything…_


	3. BOOYAKA! Time to Show Off!

**Chapter III: BOOYAKA! Time to Show Off!**

* * *

"Ok, you are to secure the Central Square! Good luck!"

_Should I… Or should I just keep quiet…?_

"Let's move out!"

Squall frowned and followed his squad exiting their vessel. Seifer took the lead. They followed him to the beach.

_Maybe I shouldn't… Zell will appreciate it, but Seifer…_

"Look out, it's SeeD!"

"Go!" Seifer yelled, pointing to five soldiers that approached them. Zell ducked, avoiding the swords aimed at him. Seifer swung his Hyperion, decapitating one of the soldiers ready to shoot him. The soldier tumbled, blood dripping out from his open stomach. One of the soldiers pulled his friend back while another stepping forward with sword aiming at Seifer's head. Seifer ducked and kicked his feet to said soldier's stomach. The soldier stumbled back from the impact.

Seifer put his fist straight in front of him. "Fira!"Flame orb formed in his fist, warm, transparent orange globe covering his hand. He pulled back and opened up his hand, throwing the sphere toward the soldier with the slashed abdomen. Seifer moved back, avoiding another swing from the sword-wielding soldier. He swung his hand holding his gunblade, embedding Hyperion deep into the swordsman's neck. With a flick of his wrist, Hyperion separated the head from the host.

Zell opened up his left palm, absorbing the aimed punch. He threw another fist to the soldier's face. The soldier ducked down, no time to avoid Zell's left knee brought upwards to meet his jaw. The tattooed martial artist grabbed his enemy's head and in one intake of breath, twisted it in backward, creating a bone-breaking sound from the soldier's neck. He released the motionless head, turning and seeing Squall fighting two sword-wielding soldiers on his right.

As the soldier's head flew away from his body, Seifer turned to the wounded soldier that he threw Fira to earlier. The soldier's face was burning, and he was holding his open stomach while crouching on the sand. With two hands, Seifer held up Hyperion in downright position, right on top of the soldier's back. Without any hesitation, he thrust his gunblade to his enemy's back, releasing him from his painful state.

Squall held his gunblade upwards, halting the sword one of the soldiers pushed down to his face. He threw up his feet high, quick enough to meet the soldier's chin, yet not strong enough to have a powerful impact on his enemy. He pulled his gunblade and stepped backward, once again charging at his quick enemy. The soldier met Squall's force with his own sword, fighting with the blades dancing around each other. Squall squinted, seeing another soldier aiming his sword at him. He pulled his body backward, cutting the contact from one soldier and turned his Revolver to start the dance with another.

_Okay… this… is… unfair…_

Squall glanced to his left. Seifer was fighting two soldiers and, from the look of it, winning. Zell was fighting another martial art soldier. Squall pushed his gunblade up, stopping the sword from splitting his face. He quickly held up his feet, halting another sword with his boot sole. Squall couldn't do anything as the soldier whose sword he's halting with his sole kicked his stomach. The lean gunblader struggled to keep his standing pose with one foot while pushing his Revolver to halt the sword with both of his hands. One of the soldiers didn't see the punch coming from Zell. The soldier turned backward, as he lost his grip on the sword. When his sword fell to the sand, Squall kicked the other soldier in front of him with his now free foot. Said swordsman took two steps backward and Squall planted his feet on the sand. He swung his Revolver to the soldier's face.

Zell kicked the sword-less soldier on his right kneecap, drawing a yelp from his enemy. As his enemy crouched down to grab his knee, the boy brought his right foot upward with a strong force, enough to break the soldier's skull. Zell held his body in fighting position while his enemy fell. When he noted that his enemy had died, he glanced to his two squad members.

Seifer wiped his bloody Hyperion on his victim's clothes. The blonde gunblader turned his head to his left and right, calculating their next move. Squall glared to his dead offender, as if teasing him to rise and fight once again. Wiping his Revolver on his enemy's uniform and standing up, his gaze meeting his two partners.

_All right… It's foolish of me to keep it for myself…_

"Let's move on, Chicken-wuss, Puberty Boy." Seifer kept Hyperion unsheathed as he turned toward the stair that should lead them to the city. On that moment, another squad appeared from a newly arriving vessel. The squad leader ran over to nod to Seifer.

"Alright, leave this area to us! You go on to guard yours!" His other two members, ready to scout the area, soon accompanied the squad leader.

_Easy for you to say! We were fighting YOUR battle! _Seifer scowled and glanced at his own vessel. Quistis Trepe was still there, her eyes the only thing that moved ever since her squad exited the vessel. She still kept her arms crossed and stood upright at the door, not moving a single inch. The instructor raised her eyebrows at Seifer, but didn't say a word.

Seifer gave her his trademark smirk before turning his head away. As much as he would love to, he didn't come here to fight another squad. His team members, however, were another matter…

"Wait, Seifer, Zell…" Squall hurried to his squad leader, Zell following.

"Yeah, Puberty Boy? Spill it."

Squall narrowed his eyes to the mockery. "I have three GFs. Any of you need one?"

"Three?" Zell piped up. "Hey, I don't even have any! How can you have three?"

"Two from the student panel, and one from my GF test." Squall kept his eyes on Zell.

"Huh!" Zell rubbed his neck. "You got TWO from the student panel? Man, your grade must be on the roof for that! I barely escaped my written test, so I got none. And that GF test… well, I passed but the GF refused to junction to me, so there you go."

Seifer tilted his head, staring the other gunblader. After a while, he started to laugh.

"Wha—what's so funny?" Zell scowled at Seifer, who waved his hand.

"I was the one who scored the highest grade on our written exam, and I passed the GF test two years ago." Since he failed his SeeD exam after that, he had to return the GF to the Garden, but he did not want to remember that—and the fact that his GF hated him so much, only Hyne knew why—what was that stupid GF name again? "There was no GF in my panel. The highest-grade student is NOT gifted with GF. Puberty Boy here got two since dear Instructor loves him so much."

Seifer glanced once again at Quistis, but she didn't seem to listen to them.

Squall frowned. _…Is that true?_ "Whatever. You want one, Zell?"

Zell beamed. "Sure! What do you have?"

"Shiva, Quetzalcoatl and Ifrit."

"I'll take Ifrit," Seifer cut off Zell's speech. "Fire works well for me." He held out his hand, waiting for Squall to hand him the crystal. GF was transferred between people with a small crystal stone as a tool. The GF then resided in human or monster's brain, until transferred again or drawn, which was the only other way to obtain them by force. Draw was an action very painful for the victim, so it was usually limited to the enemy.

Squall held the empty crystal stone on his forehead and after a few seconds, let out a deep breath and nodded, handing the tiny stone to Seifer. Seifer accepted the stone and placed it on his forehead. He closed his eyes as Ifrit entered his mind.

**You do not need me, Son of Magic **

Seifer's eyes widened while he lowered the stone from his forehead.

_What…?_

**You can use Magic and Status Commands without me. Therefore, I do not wish to junction to you. Return me to the holder of Shiva. **

Seifer's vision was spinning so fast, he had to plant Hyperion to the sand next to his feet to support him.

_Are you… Ifrit?_

The blond gunblader never used another GF after his first encounter in GF exam. Even then his acquired GF refused to talk to him, only shouting 'NO!' repeatedly. He didn't need another Fujin inside his head. Seifer knew the holder of GF needed to talk to their GF to set up abilities and stat-raising status, but he never really experienced it himself.

**Indeed, I am Ifrit, young Son. If you would be so kind, return me to the holder of Shiva. **

_Why? A GF can't refuse the holder!_ Seifer stood silently as Squall took away his empty stone and imbued it with Quetzalcoatl before handing it to Zell.

**I do not refuse you, Son of Magic. You simply have no use for me. The two mortals in front of you do. **

That was actually true. Seifer realized he didn't need any GF to cast his own magic and set up his own stats.

_If I don't want to? Why are you calling me that, anyway? Name's Seifer! You should know. You're in my brain!_

**I know your mortal name, young Son. If you do not return me to him, we will have to fight. If you win, I shall serve you eternally as an unworthy servant. **

…_What? Didn't Squall just fight you?_

**This is different, Son of Magic. **

"Whooo!" Zell was bouncing up and down. "Quez is so cool. He set me Draw, GF and Magic, and he raises my magic stats by twenty percent!"

"Shiva set me the same default," replied Squall, crossing his arms. "Forty percent plus Vitality."

Seifer shot his death glare to the two oblivious boys. If he fought Ifrit now, he only wasted precious time and energy, not to mention lowering his squad member's (already low) opinion of him.

_Okay, Ifrit. I don't need you anyway. Run back to Puberty Boy if that's what you want._

**No need to get bitter, young Son. **

_Just shut up, you… you… Imbecile Beast!_ Seifer grabbed Squall's crystal stone roughly from the owner's hand, eliciting a glare from Squall. He held it to his forehead.

**Ah, the childish name-calling. You seemed to do that a lot with people you care so much, Son of… **

Ifrit never finished his words as he was imbued into the stone. Seifer shoved Ifrit's crystal to Squall's chest and turned away.

"What? You don't want Ifrit? But then you can't use any GF abilities and stats," Zell shouted to the back of his squad leader stomping towards the beach area. "Hey, Seifer, don't get so cocky!"

"I don't need GF to set abilities, Chicken-wuss," said the gunblader, walking away from them and forcing his two members to follow. "I can do it by myself."

"No way, you're lying. The GF class that we took said that _no human_ can cast their magic without further help from GF to open up their closed second consciousness."

Had he turned his head just then, Seifer would be elated as Squall stopped his walk and widened his eyes to Zell, never even once heard his roommate talked in full figure.

"All that smart-ass talk doesn't suit you, Chicken-wuss. And the class was wrong." The tall blond glanced to his back, staring Zell down. "I can."

-x-

-x-

Nida's group had arrived earlier on the Dollet coast than other squads. When they ran out of their vessel, seven Galbadian soldiers soon greeted them.

Nida blew a high-kick on one soldier who was coming too close for comfort, while keeping his members' position memorized. Selphie with her small frame escaped the soldiers' range of view and hid behind the number of boxes stacked below the lifeguard tower. Emil had already attacked two soldiers who seemed to be a martial artist. With his long iron staff to help him, he hit one soldier in the face and another in his chest.

Selphie waited until the soldiers were focused on beating her two battle partners. When they excluded her from their point of view, she emerged in a close range to their back and swung her Nunchaku, successfully batting two heads in a row. Seeing the circumstances, Nida kicked one of the soldiers who fainted halfway to the sand, and without a blink swung the same boot to crush the other soldier's skull.

"Let's move out!"

From his battle position, Nida studied a group of three cadets that ran towards them from a newly arrived vessel. Another vessel landed on the coast in just seconds. The cadets were two gunbladers and one martial artist, based on his bulky figure. He turned to Selphie, who strangled one soldier along with the help of Emil who was beating the same enemy. He crouched once, avoiding a sword aimed for his neck. Kicking his offender away, he ran forward to the exit.

"Selphie, Emil!" he shouted, making sure they didn't lose the sight of him. "Abort battle! Run!"

The two cadets scurried, leaving the poor soldier gasping for breath. Nida was already stepping on the asphalt road above the stairs. He took a closer inspection and noticed two soldiers stood thirty meters from him, yet they got their backs on him. The stairwell was well hidden behind the wall of house on the right row of town. He kept still in his hiding spot until his team caught up to him.

Their group was the intelligent team, which meant they got no real power. It was clear that their squad was chosen based on the speed. All of them were slim and lean, unlike the squad that just arrived. _That squad_ was the real power.

Selphie held her knees as she bent down, struggling to keep her breathing steady. Emil was tilting his head to peek behind a wall, and noticed the same guards that Nida just noted.

"Huff… huff… w-what are we waiting for?" Selphie took one last breath as she stood up straight, face flushed from running for her dear life. Nida bore his eyes to the sky, thinking of ways to remove two heavily armed guards without losing their lives. It was obvious none of them had a GF, even though from their stature, they would be excellent with magic if branded with one.

If Martine did not seize Cerberus from him when he left, Nida would release his three-headed dog and walked easily into their base. Now, he wished he had learned gun combat like Kino.

"They aren't like the beach soldiers," Emil informed Selphie, who was now tilting her head to peek as well. She formed her lips in 'O' position, and hid when the guards turned.

"If we can't get close enough, we're over." Nida sighed. "Okay, I'm good at sneaking, so I go first. Emil, you're with me. Selphie, you're our healer. If we get killed…" Phoenix Down vial only worked during fifteen minutes after a person's death, and if s/he was not revived in time, they died forever. Potion closed the wound but only external ones. Only Curaga cured damaged organs. For the three cadets, their only hope was the item bag.

Selphie nodded. "Yes, of course!"

"Well… one thing though…" Emil crossed his arm around his staff. "The two of them are shift-watching. One will turn his back on us while the other sees us. How can we change their position without any bait?"

_That's it! We need bait! _Nida blinked. He had been trained in situation like this, but he seemed to lose the knowledge when he left G-Garden. He noted his surrounding, trying to get anything that can be used as bait.

His search gave him a sight of big red cloth glued to the roof on top of them. Thin canvas material, seemed to be used for a shade roof. He took out his army knife, reached up and managed to grab the cloth, before tearing it apart carefully, so the sound didn't alert the guards. His two companions watched him with a puzzled expression.

"Okay, change of plans. Selphie, you wear a tank top under the uniform, right? Remove your jacket and wrap this around your hips."

Selphie's jaw dropped. "You mean… I'm THE BAIT?"

"Well, yeah. You're the only one of us who didn't look like a cadet." Nida tugged on her cadet jacket, forcing the tiny brunette to remove it hesitantly, along with his waist bag and her Nunchaku.

Selphie wore her costume perfectly, since Nida only ripped a small width of the roof shade. The red cloth wrapped Selphie's short skirt in a WRONG way. It looked like she had just been molested and her skirt ripped apart. Her white, thin tank top didn't help justify the matter.

"You know, if I were them, I will think that you had just been—" Emil bit his lip as the girl glared at him. "Well, remove your boots too..." He crouched down to help the girl remove her boots and socks.

Nida pointed to the centre of the road. "Don't walk to them. Stand there, straight from our position and bait them here."

_All right… how do I do this? How? How? How?_ Selphie nodded and ran to the centre of the road. When one of the guards noticed her, she screamed in a high pitch and sat down on her knees.

"Please… please help me!"

The guards didn't leave their position. "What's wrong, miss?"

"I—I've just brought my dog to walk on the beach, and then three men came, and—and—" _Uh—and then what?_ She showed the guards her puppy eyes, lip trembled as she hugged herself. "I—I'm so scared—" _And I don't know what else to say…_

The guards exchanged looks before one of them frowned at her. "There were seven soldiers on the beach, Miss. There is no one else there."

_I know! We just killed two of them!_ "Why don't you believe me?" She wailed, head bowed to the ground. "They ripped my skirt—my dog was still there! I—I—"

"Listen, Miss. Why don't you come here and let us take a closer look at you." The guards walked a few steps toward her, but didn't get as close as she needed.

_Ugh! Just come here already! _Selphie broke a series of sobs, and with trembled voice she said, "I can't—the back of my skirt—and my—my—" _My hair? My knee? My arms? –Oh!_ "M—my bra… They tore away my bra… I ran here with my chest exposed. I'm—I'm so ashamed…"

That seemed to do the trick.

The guards walked to Selphie, curiosity won. As they got in close range, Nida brought his feet upwards and hammered it downward to one of the soldier's skull. Before the soldier's friend broke out of his trance and reached down to grab his machine gun, Emil shoved his staff planting it right on the soldier's Adam apple. Unable to scream, the soldier collapsed when Selphie slid her foot to his ankles. She held his machine gun when Emil thrust his staff to stab the soldier's heart repeatedly.

After their enemies died, the three cadets stood up and looked at each other. Then, Nida broke the silence.

"Come on, guys. The bar is just ahead." He smirked at Selphie, handing her belongings. "Wear your jacket, please. I can't focus if I see your bare chest all the time." The males chuckled, ignoring the tiny brunette's sad attempt at scowl.

They met no other guards as they entered the bar. The place was empty, but clean. Nida checked all the room and declared the bar safe. Selphie sat down in front of the window. She crossed her arms and leaned on the wall next to the window, half-hiding behind the white curtain. The girl sighed as she looked outside.

_This is so boring…_

Selphie's attention was on her missing backpack. She shrieked when a blue figure outside the window surprised her. She shook her head a few times and leaned closer to the window.

There were three Galbadian soldiers outside, and they were just as stunned as she did, watching the blue figure danced and flew in front of them. The glass window that Selphie held turned cold.

_Shiva! That is Shiva, the ice GF! Wow, that is so cool! I heard she used to live in Trabia. I wonder who junctions to her now?_

Selphie watched in awe when the Ice Queen let out her Diamond Dust. The soldiers shrieked in pain when Blizzaga froze their body. The girl stared at the figure beginning to form back after Shiva's summoning. Her eyes widened as she recognized the boy.

_Hey, he's the pretty boy I bumped into this morning! So, he has Shiva? BOOYAKA! I should ask him later to show me the summoning again!_

Selphie kept her eyes on the scarred boy scowling to his left. She tried to get a better view, but she still couldn't figure out who was on his left.

"This is Nida, requesting permission to talk to Instructor Aki on squad A."

"This is Instructor Trepe, squad B. Hang on a second."

_Huh?_ Selphie turned her head to watch Nida holding a PCS, right when a blonde man with a grey trench coat walked in her window view. The man was shouting something at the scarred boy and laughing; the pretty boy shook his head and frowned, walking away from him. The blonde man soon followed the path the pretty boy had just taken, accompanied by a spiky-haired boy who yelled at him all the way.

"Nida!" Selphie pointed at his PCS. "You have a PCS!"

Nida smiled to her when a voice broke down the silence.

"This is Aki. Nida, what's your status?"

"This is Nida Roe. All safe, base is clear. Next order?"

"New one," Aki's voice was stern. "The vessel is about to leave in 1900 hours. That is four hours from now. You are about to split up and deliver the news to each of three squad leader. We gave each squad until 1800 hours to complete their task, yours excluded. It is up to you when to inform each squad, but do this carefully. Any questions?"

Nida glanced to Selphie and Emil, both shook their heads. "No, Sir."

"Good. This is Aki, out."

"Nida, out..." Nida cut off the line between him and instructor Trepe's PCS. Selphie watched him in awe.

"Nida," she began, "isn't PCS was like, seventy thousand Gil?"

Nida put his small pocket PCS back to the inside pocket of his pants. His tiny black PCS were only the size of one-fourth his fist. "This one was about a hundred and twenty thousand."

"How come you have one then?"

Nida stopped. Slowly, he drew his eyes to meet Selphie's gaze, his expression unreadable. "My father gave it to me."

"Oh, I see." Selphie pouted. "I always want one, but I have no friends who have PCS, so it's kind of worthless."

"Yeah, I think so too, sometimes. If you happen to own one later, I'll set you my line."

Selphie nodded and drew her eyes back to the window, trying to recapture the image of the brunette boy with the gunblade.

He was gone.

-x-

-x-

"The Central Square is up ahead. Hey! All you Galbadian cowards out there! Come out and show your faces! Don't leave me hanging' now!"

Seifer ran off ahead, left Squall and Zell staring at his disappearing figure.

Zell shook his head and muttered, "...What an idiot."

Squall couldn't agree more.

They ran to catch up with Seifer, who was currently battling a stray soldier. Zell opened up his arms and yelled, "Thunder!" A storm was running through Zell's body as he let out a storm of lighting to paralyse the lone soldier, who fell on the ground before Seifer's Hyperion ended his life.

The Central Square looked empty and abandoned.

"There may be more," said Squall, trying to look at every corner possible.

Seifer crossed his arms and ordered, "All right, I want you guys to scout the area for enemies."

The other two cadets looked at each other and decided not to debate over their captain this time. They went to search for any trace of the enemy or monster, which they found near a car blocking the way. Zell and Squall took a liberty of drawing and casting magic at their enemies until they fell.

So far, the two had stocked ten of each basic element spells, five Cures, two Curas and four Dispels. Zell even robbed the soldier's corpse for five bottles of potions, which now resided nicely on Squall's small waist bag that he placed between his many belts. Zell really enjoyed his newly found abilities to stock up Magic, since Quetzalcoatl junctioned his stocked spell. Because Ifrit had a stat raising Strength Plus, Squall had no qualms about lending him to Zell who now punched harder.

"I think that's all of them," Squall said.

They walked back to Seifer. The blonde leaned on an empty car on the Square, scowling over nothing. "Well then, we're on standby 'til the enemy comes," he grumbled. "Standby... How boring..."

Zell shrugged and sat down next to the standing Squall. "Yo, Man," he said. "What do you think about your first killing? The one on the beach..."

No matter how hard he tried, Squall couldn't care any less. _A killing is a killing, I guess. It was necessary for our job. _"…Whatever."

"I'm shivering even now!" Zell continued, not really cared about his reaction. "When it happened, I'm not really thinking about it, but now I can't believe how easy it is to just decide on their fate. CRACK! Just like that!"

"CRACK?" Seifer raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah. I guess for you guys it's ZLAB! Like, stab!"

"ZLAB?" Seifer shook his head. "Chicken-wuss, did you leave your pill in the DC room?"

As his spiky roommate shot a deadly glare at Seifer and told him how easy it was to impart the CRACK sound on him, Squall turned his head up to the sound of machinery far away. "Sounds like it's starting."

"Bring it on," replied Seifer.

Silence overcame them once more.

They waited, and waited, and waited…

… And waited…

…Oh, look! A dog!

… And waited…

When the dog walked closer to Seifer and started nipping on is heel, he lost his patience. "Get out of here! Scram!" he yelled and ran to the other side of the fountain that sat abandoned on the square. "Hey! Galbadian Soldiers! What are you waiting for? Come show me what you got!"

Squall shook his head at his captain's sudden outburst.

_Stupid…_

As Seifer glared at him, demanding him to say whatever it is on his mind, he only whispered, "Nothing."

"Still keeping us waiting...?" Seifer shouted to the Galbadian troops, or at least he would like to think so. "That's it...! I can't take it anymore! What is this, some kind of dog training?" He swung his gunblade several times; all three other creatures on the square were staring at him.

Finally, the dog grew tired of them and decided to add more voice. He howled, creating a strange mix of a sudden bell, howl and machinery sound. As the dog stopped howling, a Galbadian scout walked out of the hotel in front of the square. The three cadets hid themselves as the scout looked around and led some troops from the hotel up the pathway.

Squall watched the troop leaving. "It's the enemy…"

"Where are they going'?" asked Zell. He looked up to the top of the mountain. "Hey? What is that up there?"

Seifer also looked up, at a cylindrical tower built there. "Our next destination." He turned to the dog sitting close to him. "Damn, dog. Why didn't you howl earlier?"

Zell heard Seifer's words clearly. "But that's against orders!"

Seifer snorted. "Weren't you just saying how bored you were?"

"Squall!" Zell turned to his roommate, who shrugged and opened his mouth to say…

"I stand by the captain's decision."

* * *

**_To be Continued..._**

* * *

Next chapter:

_When things change, they change for the better…_

_-Right?_


	4. Tripleduple OUCH!

**Chapter IV: Triple-duple OUCH!**

* * *

"Alright… so, how do we determine who goes where?" Nida sat on one of the three chairs forming triangle lines in the centre of the room. "Squad C is on the beach, Squad B is in the Central Square, Squad D on the edge of the town; the farthest from here."

"Obviously," Emil said, "whoever goes to Squad C got the easiest deal; the poor one who runs to D will have a hard time getting back, even when the area is clear."

"Why don't we take a blind vote?" Selphie said. "So there'll be no cheating!"

Nida nodded, emptying out items from his waist bag. "Is there any paper?"

"This is Field Exam, not written ones," Emil blurted, "why should we bring paper?"

"Just asking," replied Nida. "Okay, so here goes. Potion, Phoenix down and Antidote all had the same size, just different colours. I will put one of each in my bag, and we will pull one out. The potion is B, Antidote is C and Phoenix Down is D. Selphie, ladies first."

Selphie blindly grabbed an item inside the waist bag, and pulled one vial out. "I got potion! I'm off to Squad B!"

Nida and Emil exchanged looks, and Emil hesitantly reached into the bag. He pulled out his grabbed vial and cursed when he got Phoenix Down.

Nida showed a sheepish grin when his two members scowled at him. "Hey! I'm not the one who gave you guys the vials, remember?"

"This is unfair," murmured Emil, "our dearest leader has to have the easiest course."

Nida drew out his PCS and pulled two pins adoring it. "So, I have to keep track of you two. Who knows what this is?"

"Ooh! I know, I know!" Selphie waved her hand dramatically. "That is MONO-PCS, the extension of a PCS! We can pin it on our clothes and press it to talk to the main PCS!"

"Right." Nida gave each of them a MONO-pin. "Report to me after you met the Squad, okay?"

Emil pinned the MONO on his collar while studying the PCS Nida set on to accept the MONOs. "You just have the coolest tools, don't you?"

"Hey, I am the Squad Leader because _I am _cool."

The other man grumbled. "Damn PCS. Damn MONO. Damn mission. I swear, when I become SeeD I'll apply to office duty…"

"Okay, people!" Selphie stood and bounced on her heels. "Let's move out! And be safe, everyone!"

Before they separated, Nida divided the rest of the items. He didn't take any; the beach area would be cleared by now so he handed two Potions, one Antidotes and one Phoenix Down to Emil, who left first to make sure he made it on time. Selphie stuffed a Potion and one Phoenix Down into her skirt pockets before leaving the bar.

Selphie walked along the road until she reached the Square. The area was clear. Squad B had done their job. She paced along the Square and looked around. There was no one there, and the car that was blocking the way up to the mountain range had been moved. Selphie sat on the fountain, waiting for the Squad to get back from their round.

Then she heard a whining sound. Selphie saw a dog walking from the back of the car. The dog whined when it saw her. Its back right leg was cut and the wounds were severe that the bone was dangling on the feet.

"Oh!" Selphie ran to the dog. "Oh, no! What happened?" She inspected the wound. It looked like it was chewed out. "Did the monster do this to you? Oh, poor doggie…"

The dog looked up to her with his puppy eyes, the one Selphie made when she wanted something. Selphie frowned before finally drawing out her Potion.

"This is all I have. Are yours an internal wound? 'Cause human need hi-potion to close internal wound…"

If the dog could talk, maybe he would yell to her, 'The hell with it! Just give it to me already!'

"Okay, okay!" Selphie opened up the vial cap and poured the vial into the dog's wound. The dog helped its own recovery, licking on the vial forming a small puddle on the ground. Soon, the wound closed and a new, raw red flesh covered the joint. The leg was still in a bad shape, but no longer bleeding. The dog looked at Selphie, wagged its tail and licked her hand. Selphie smiled and waved when the dog walked away, still a bit impaired.

A few minutes later, the same dog came back, carrying a white bone in its mouth. He dropped the bone in Selphie's hand.

"Ooooh!" Selphie inspected the bone, while the dog beaming with pride. "Is this for me? Whoa, thank you!"

"Selphie? Selphie, are you there?" Nida's voice cut the happy scene. "Met the Squad yet?"

Selphie quickly pressed the pin on her collar. "Nida! No, I'm not—uh, I mean, I'm on the Central Square but the Squad is not here!"

There was a grumbling voice that sounded suspiciously like 'arrogant bastard' before a female voice was heard, "this is Instructor Quistis Trepe, supervisor for Squad B. Can you go search for them and make sure they have the orders?"

If there was an instructor close by, it meant her leader had reached the Beach and now secured inside the vessel. "But that means that I have to go further! Is that really okay?"

"Yes, your instructor Aki said: The orders are to meet the Squad, not to reach their destination spot. I want you to find my three cadets wherever they are. Remember, their fate is in your hand. If we leave them here, they may never make it back by themselves."

Selphie's eyes widened. "Oh… okay, then. I'm off!"

"Good luck, Miss Tilmitt."

Selphie stood up, put the bone in her skirt and waved to the dog that (unbelievably) waved back.

…_I wonder why Squad C needs someone to tell them the orders anyway. I mean, they are just a few feet away from the vessel! Maybe that's why Emil gets upset. He was the only one doing the real job._

Since the only road that had been used recently was the one behind the car, Selphie didn't think twice as she walked up through the mountain road. The road was inclined higher than the Central Square, and there were still rows of houses, some of them had an emergency ladder planted on the wall to the roof.

When she reached a narrow road with a few bushes, Selphie tilted her head, thinking, _Huh? Bushes can grow in the middle of the road? That is just plain weird…_

She decided to ignore the matters anyway, and walked forward, passing the bush.

That was when a set of teeth bit her right leg.

Shrieking, Selphie looked down, and even when her instinct told her to shake her leg, the training she had for years made her stay in the spot. A small Anacondaur was chewing on her leg. Its teeth were not that big, but still painful. She lifted her left leg and stomped on the Anacondaur repeatedly. With the help of her Nunchaku, the Anacondaur released its teeth. Selphie heard a sound of something moving from her back. She snapped her head to the bush, where three big Anacondaurs were closing on her.

"Aaaaaagh!" Realizing that she might not make it if she fought them, Selphie ran as fast as they could. The Anacondaurs ran after her.

_Why me? Why me?_ She looked around, looking for anything she could throw as an escape bait. She reached into her skirt pocket and drew the dog's present. _Sorry, doggie…_

Selphie threw the bone as far as she could toward the Anacondaurs. The four snakes stopped when they sniffed a faint smell of rotten meat from the bone. The bone looked clean to human, but for animals the meat was still there, plus the body odour from a dog that the Anacondaurs chewed earlier. As the four beasts fought over a tiny bone, Selphie climbed the emergency ladder to her right, as quickly as she could.

The big one got the bone, and the rest was now searching for the human female they had just bitten. Meanwhile, their latest victim had reached the rooftop, and panted as she kneeled on the roof floor. Selphie looked around and sighed in relief. The rooftops connected to each other. If she walked ahead, she could inspect the road down there without meeting any other Anacondaurs.

Selphie inspected her wound. The bite mark did not bleed and it was as small as a puppy's teeth mark. The small cadet stood up and started walking on the rooftop, inspecting the road on the ground to her left, trying to get a glimpse of a wayward squad.

-x-

-x-

Squall and Zell followed their captain to the mountain, finding him lying on his stomach watching a group of soldiers outside the tower. They followed his example while watching the soldier's banter.

"The generator is up and running!" exclaimed one soldier. The other saluted a high-ranking soldier next to him. "No problem with the boosters!"

Seifer frowned. "What are they doing?"

"Cable disconnection confirmed! Began exchange process!"

Squall murmured, "Repairs?" as the soldiers ran inside.

Seifer snorted. "Who cares? We will go inside. You scared? Stay here if you want, Pubes."

Squall scowled to his captain. "I'm not."

Seifer smirked. "I love battles. I fear nothing. The way I look at it, as long as you make it out of battle alive, you're one step closer to fulfilling your dream." He stood up.

"Your dream?"

"You have one too, don't you?"

"Sorry, I'll pass on the subjects." Squall stood up and crossed his arms.

"Yo! Let me in on it, too!" yelled Zell, punched his fist in the air.

"Mind your own business." Seifer turned his head, leaving his brunette counterpart drowning on his own thought as usual and the spiky Chicken-wuss swatting flies. If he went in there in time, he might know what the soldiers were planning. He paced to the tower, walking on a pathway under the edge of the cliff above them.

"There you a-AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

-x-

-x-

If only Selphie arrived a few minutes later, the following would have never happened, and she would never boast much later to everyone, that it only took a strong head to knock Seifer Almasy out cold.

Without anything to hold on to, Selphie's feet slipped from the edge of the cliff and she tumbled down, crashing her head with Seifer's. The poor blond never saw her coming.

The brutal crash from the sky and severe meeting of his head against the rigid ground below gave Seifer a painful jolt and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Squall and Zell stared at them for a minute. Then Zell started laughing so hard, he curled up on the ground. Squall crossed his arms as an amused look passed his feature, and walked to Selphie and Seifer.

"Are you okay?" Squall crouched down and held his hand out to touch Selphie's head, not at all cared about Seifer, who was on cloud nine.

"Oooowwww…" Selphie grimaced, as a flow of Cura ran through her head. She felt a little better as she turned her head up and saw Squall. Zell finally stopped laughing as he crawled to them and patted Selphie's shoulder. "Hey, that's a good one! I never thought I'll be around to see he faints!"

Squall recognized the girl. "You're the one on the Quad…"

Selphie nodded, trying to ignore a group of dancing stars circling and singing on top of her head. "Are you guys Squad B?"

"Yeah," Zell said, grinning. Anyone who could beat Seifer up instantly became his best friend.

"My name is Selphie from Squad A. I'm here to deliver orders to your Squad Captain. Where is he?"

"He's below you." Squall pointed. Selphie looked down, to Seifer who was still passed out below her body. Shrieking, she scrambled to get up while trying to wake the blond captain. "I'm so sorry! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"What's the order anyway?" Squall asked, taking over the control. Selphie bit her lip while staring at him.

"Um—the vessel will be leaving at nineteen-hundred hours. I'm so sorry!" She turned her attention back to Seifer. "Is he dead?"

"Hyne, please," Zell muttered, wishing Hyne would be so kind. "Nah, he's just sleeping. Slap him, he'll be awake in no time!"

Selphie nodded, not noticing how wide Zell smiled. "Okay, here goes…" She took a deep breath and, with a strong force, slapped the blond's cheek.

Seifer yelped, sitting up at once. He groaned, shuttering his eyes close once more. "My head…" He held his head against his hands, trying to get rid of the pain from both front and back of his skull.

"Nineteen-hundred hours…" Squall glanced at his watch. "That's still two and half hours to go." He looked at Zell. "Go back now?"

Selphie tilted her head, still crouching next to her victim. "I'm sorry, Captain!"

Seifer opened up one of his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Selphie, Squad A! I'm here to deliver the order. We'll leave in nineteen-hundred hours."

Seifer shook his head, waiting until the throbbing in his skull slowed down. "A messenger girl, eh... Nineteen-hundred hours is still a long time to go…"

Selphie stood up, pressed the MONO. "Nida! Nida, I got the Squad!"

The female voice once again took over, "This is Trepe, Miss Tilmitt. Good job. Are they okay?"

"Yeah, they're safe." Selphie glanced at Seifer. "OH MY HYNE! I scarred the Captain!"

"Excuse me?"

"The Captain! I fell on top of him, and now his forehead has a scar! A big one! My nail must've scratched it or something!" she cried. "I'm sorry, Captain!"

The boys looked at her, not sure whether or not they should tell her the truth. Squall reached up, arranging his bangs to cover the similar scar on his forehead. Zell bit his lip and turned his head to check on everything but her. Seifer decided he liked the guilty feeling on someone else.

"I see…" Quistis also decided to shut up. "Well, I see you've done your job. Now, Squad B, return back—"

Seifer stood up and cut her speech, "Instructor, there is a bigger scheme here. I'm not leaving until we check the communication tower."

"Pardon me?"

"You heard me, Instructor."

There was a sound of chatter on the other side of PCS, and after a while, Quistis said, "What bigger scheme?"

"The troops are hanging around the tower."

"What? But the Dollet tower is long abandoned..."

"That's why we should check it!" Seifer yelled. "I'm leaving with or without your permission anyway. Which one is it, Trepe?"

A long silence was heard until Quistis gave up. "All right, Seifer. Just get in and get out. You hear me?"

"Get in and get out, Instructor." _As if I will do just that_. "Loud and clear."

"Miss Tilmitt," Quistis said. "You are to accompany the Squad until they get back to the vessel."

_As if I would do anything else…_ "Yes, Instructor Trepe!"

"Don't forget to report to me AFTER you check the tower."

"Okay."

"Good. Oh and… good luck, Seifer." Quistis disconnected the line, leaving the Captain to scowl at the MONO.

Selphie looked at her new team. Squall frowned at Seifer, Zell grinned at her and Seifer narrowed his eyes to the front door of the tower.

"Oh, my name's Zell Dincht, by the way!" Zell held out his hand. "Zell Dincht! My boy here is Squall Leonhart, and the super-stuck-up Captain here is Seifer Almasy!"

"Selphie Tilmitt; it's nice to meet you." Selphie noticed Almasy's trench coat and gunblade. Her jaw dropped as she pointed at Seifer. "Trench Coat guy! You're the Trench Coat guy!"

Seifer looked at Selphie with a raised eyebrow. "Can't spell my name? It's Seifer Almasy, Filly."

"Oooh! So that's true! You're the Trench Coat guy!" Selphie bounced. "Thank you for feeding me!"

Seifer waved his hand, ignoring the shocked looks from his male squad members. "Let's go." He didn't wait for them as he jumped off, disclosing the range of mountain road to the road outside the tower.

"Show off!" grumbled Zell.

Selphie sighed. "This sure is tough… Captain! Wait up!" Without any hesitation she jumped, following Seifer's lead and landing safely on the road across the cliff. Then the two of them stood side by side, staring at Zell and Squall. Seifer smirked at his two members.

Zell's mouth opened as Squall took the challenge. "You're not going to… It's a cliff, man… you're not going to jump off…?" His eyes widened as Squall leaped off.

Didn't want to be left alone, Zell cast aside his fear. "…Are you serious?" _Okay, here goes… _"GERONIMOOOOOOOO!"

Squall landed in a perfect pose, while Zell rolled off the road and bumped his head to the outer wall of the tower before struggling to stand up.

Selphie grimaced and rubbed the back of her head. "Actually, you guys can just walk along the road, you know…"

Seifer shook his head to his squad members. "That's why Puberty boy is Pubes and Chicken-wuss is chickened out."

_You jumped off first!_ Squall sighed in exasperation as Seifer laughed. "Whatever." He turned to Selphie, who shot him her puppy-dog eyes. "…Yes?"

"You don't happen… to have an extra GF, don't you?"

Squall turned his look at Zell who showed his pointy fangs at Seifer. "We do. Zell, give her one of yours." He drew out his transfer stone and handed it to his roommate.

Zell didn't want to lose Quezacotl, so he transferred Ifrit to Selphie, despite the power GF taking his raising stats along with him.

Selphie cheered when Ifrit entered her mind.

_Yay, hello there!_

A deep chuckle answered, **Well, hello. It's nice to have a warm welcome.**

_My name is Selphie Tilmitt, Sir Ifrit! Nice to meet you!_

**Yes, Selphie, I know. Now, what would you like to have as your abilities? I see you're not a fighter, so I won't raise your physical Strength. How about a default draw-summon-magic? Spiky Blond did not use me very often, so I'm afraid that's what I had to offer now.**

_Yes! I'll take the default set!_

**Default set, warm and ready. Now, Little Lady, do you prefer a Magic raising stat or a Speed raise?**

_Um… what… do you suggest? I didn't use much GF in the past, so I don't know much about magic…_

**I'm sorry to say this, Little Lady, but your strength is not in magic. You have the best Evade and Speed as far as I seen in anyone here, so I suggest speed.**

_Speed it is, then!_

"Are you done chatting over that Imbecile?" growled Seifer, staring at the still-stunned Selphie. "I'm off." He walked in first, leaving them.

Selphie blinked as she came back to her surroundings.

"Hey? Where's the Captain?" She saw Zell pointed to the door. "Oh, no! The Captain's getting away!" She ran inside.

"I thought we get a buddy on our side, not a lovesick puppy," murmured Zell as he walked inside. Squall shrugged.

_Actually, we got a female Zell, with the deduced fear-meter._

Inside, Seifer was fighting two soldiers. All other soldiers charged at the remaining squad members. Squall shot a Blizzard at one of the soldiers as Selphie hit the kneecap of another. Zell snapped his head backward to avoid a punch given to him, kicking the offender in the jaw and punching the last one who was standing in the back. Seifer raised his fist towards one of two soldiers who were battling Zell.

"Firaga!" he yelled throwing the massive ball of fire to the soldiers. Zell screamed in surprise. He was almost swallowed in flames but managed to step back in time. He narrowed his eyes to the smirking blond gunblader before punching a soldier nearby.

Selphie raised her hand to Squall's enemy, yelling, "Fire!" The ball of fire formed in her fist. She threw the ball of fire to the last remaining soldier, but when the fire hit, the damage wasn't worth it. "Huh?"

Squall stabbed the soldier who (at least) got distracted by Selphie's poor excuse at magic. When it was all over, he arched his eyebrow to the girl.

"But… I cast Fire!" Selphie shrunk under Squall's glare. "I did! It's Fire!"

"It is, man." Zell helped her. "It's just not as strong as it should be. I thought women supposed to be better at magic?"

Selphie almost cried. "I don't know… I never used magic that much…" She sobbed as Squall put a palm on his face. "B—but my limit break is a strong magic! Why it didn't happen in normal state?"

"She's not strong, she's not good at magic… great, just great… just beat her up until she has her limit break then," Seifer said, placing a hand on his hip when three pairs of eyes glaring at him. "That's what you need, right? So what if she's not that good? Like we can't cover for her…"

"I didn't mean that!" Zell said.

Seifer rubbed his neck, now the pain on his head pounded back. "Listen, Chicken-wuss. You're stupid. Puberty Boy is afraid to say whatever on his mind, and can only say, 'Whatever'. I think another impaired person in this team won't change much."

Squall narrowed his deadly eyes to his Captain. "I'm not afraid…"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay, Messenger Girl. You're our healer. The rest of you, give your curatives to her. Remember to heal us often, not just when we're dying. With your poor magic, at least you can do that, right?"

Selphie held back her tears and nodded, as Zell and Squall transferred their Cure and Cura to her. Zell handed her the entire potion and Squall gave her some Bio, which didn't need too much Magic power to do poison damage. Ifrit calmed her down as they rounded up on the elevator.

**It's okay, Little Lady. You will be useful one day.**

_I can't even cast Fire right, and I'm having you as my GF!_

**I don't mind. You can still summon me; I'm not affected by your magic power. The more you do, the stronger I will be. Now press the button, they are waiting for you.**

Selphie pressed the button on the elevator switch, raising them up. The elevator was small, and with three men bigger than her aboard, she was pushed onto the switch.

"Wow, this lift is really cool!" she exclaimed, her tears long forgotten. Selphie was always attracted to machinery and technology.

"Don't get too excited, or you'll fall!" Zell warned her.

"Like I'm going to… oops!" Selphie almost slipped under three glares, and Squall quickly grabbed her arms. Selphie grinned while holding onto the switch to support her.

—Click—

_Eh?_ She looked down at her hand, realizing that she had pressed another button. The elevator arrived to the top anyway, and she didn't think about it much.

As they arrived, they saw a soldier who was on to something. The team looked up when the machine rose. A large satellite was brought upwards, opened up and started a signal. Seifer turned his head to the oblivious soldier on his back toward them.

"What are you doing?" Squall said.

The soldier turned. "HUH? Likewise, Mister! What do you think you're doing here? H-Hey! What happened to the soldiers below! WEDGE! WEDGE!"

Seifer took the first move.

He stepped forward and swung his gunblade at the soldier's hand. The soldier screamed so loud, it almost broke their eardrums.

"AAAAAAAAH! AAAAH! Are you crazy?"

"Just shut up!" Seifer cringed on his enemy's loud wail. "Tell us what happened here!"

The raging soldier stood up and attacked Seifer head on. "You brat!"

Seifer ducked and kicked the soldier's stomach. Squall crossed his arms and Zell frowned as he cast Scan on the soldier. The soldier lifted his machine gun and shot Seifer with a number of bullets, but as Selphie quickly threw him several potions, the meek attempt didn't do much but to raise his anger. He didn't even raise Hyperion to hit the soldier—he punched the soldier's face with bare fists. As the soldier fell on his knees, he glared at his relaxed team.

"Oh, his name is Biggs," informed Zell, crossing his arms on the back of his head, not even moving to help his Captain. "He's almost dead, so go on."

Squall put his hand on his hip and snorted when Seifer glared at him. "Whatever, Captain."

"Oh, I'll help! I'll help!" Selphie waved her hands and bounced.

Seifer shook his head at his team's languor. "Just forget it." He stomped on Biggs' back, sending him sprawling on the floor.

"Major Biggs!" the yelling voice came from the team's back. Squall and Zell turned around to see an enraged slim soldier waving his sword at them. "Major! Have you finished the repair, sir?"

"Is that what you want to ask, Wedge?" Biggs yelled, still under Seifer's boots. "What took you so long? No pay for you this month!"

"Should've stayed at home," murmured Wedge sadly before start charging at the team. This time, Squall fought him.

Wedge scrambled forward and tried to stab Squall, who turned to the left and charged. Wedge blocked the attack with his sword, pulled away from the contact and counterattacked to Squall's stomach. Even when the wound wasn't deep, Squall noticed Wedge's speed. The soldier raised his right feet and kicked Squall's gunblade away, targeting his neck. Squall ducked, pulled his gunblade away from Wedge's boots and sliced upwards. Wedge didn't step back far enough, the gunblade edge wounded his stomach up to his helmet.

_He's good! Way better than his pitiful boss! _Squall thought, as he raised his gunblade to end this. Wedge pulled himself back from the blow and had his back on the steel wall of the tower. He raised his hands and dropped his sword.

"Major…" Wedge gasped for breath. "We're doomed…"

Squall stopped trying to kill the losing soldier and kicked Wedge's sword away from him.

"Wedge! Quit your whining!" Biggs shrieked as Seifer's Hyperion trailed up to his neck. "Wedge! Come and help me!"

Squall glared at the spoiled Major as Selphie cast Cura on his stomach. _His soldier is dying for him and all he thinks about is himself!_

Seifer seemed to have the same thoughts. "You're pathetic," he said ready to push his Hyperion into Biggs' flesh. "Let me end your miserable-"

"Seifer! Watch out!" Zell lunged at him, shoving the captain away as a whirl of wind engulfed Seifer's previous spot. Biggs was trapped in the wind and blown away.

"WEEEDGE! Help meeee!"

"Major!" Wedge ran to the tornado and tried to grab his boss, but his feet lifted up and his body blown, leaving trails of blood behind. "Aaaaahhh!"

The team looked up at their new enemy. A flying monster stared down at them, his body purple and he was huge.

"I-I think we better teamed up for this one…" Selphie trailed off. The boys needed no other clue. They scrambled together and stood in front of the beast.

As they grouped to attack him, it was obvious that no matter how high Zell punched and kicked, the beast was too high for him. Squall and Seifer's gunblades didn't score a better damage either. If Zell couldn't reach the beast, how can Selphie…?

"You—are—too short—Chicken-wuss…" Seifer panted, among many desperate attempts to hit the beast.

"You and that damn gunblade of yours…are—how tall? Three meters? Heh—" Zell held his knees, gasping for breath. Squall kept trying to hit and got hit by the monster. Selphie was desperate to keep him alive. "Magic…"

"…That monster is…who…?" Seifer glanced up. "Can't give him his… his…"

"…Magic absorbing spell? …That's Elvoret; he can be hit by Fire…"

"Don't get so cocky, smart-ass…" Seifer stood up, forming Firaga.

"…I'm not! I scanned it, that's how I know!" Zell also stood up and ran to Squall, helping him on the matter, even if their resistances were futile.

Unable to attack at all, Selphie forced her brain to think hard. Finally, she raised her hand up and shouted, "Bio!"

All of a sudden, Elvoret screamed. A painful tremble passed on his body. Firaga spell cast by Seifer flew towards him and the monster yelped drawing the last sound of pain before the burning body fell to the ground.

Silence overflowed them for a while.

"…That's it?" Zell screamed to the twitching monster. "All we need are a Bio and one Firaga? Damn! Damn you Elvoret… Draw! Draw! Draw! Draw! Draw! Draw!"

Everyone looked at him as the distressed Zell drew GF Siren and Double Magic as greedy as he could before the monster died. When he was done, he noticed the party's weird glares. "What? It has Siren and Double Spell!"

Seifer rolled his eyes. Firaga spell came easy to him, he could upgrade the Fire spell on his own and he preferred the strength of level two or three magic. If he knew Elvoret would die just because of one Firaga, they wouldn't waste so much time.

Selphie looked around. Wedge and Biggs were back, lying unconscious on the floor next to them. Wedge's wound seemed to stop bleeding.

Seifer glanced down at his watch. "You say nineteen hundred hours, Messenger Girl? We only had thirty minutes left!" He ran to the elevator. The others scuttled to him as he pressed the DOWN button. Seifer frowned. The button didn't work. "What the—"

The others caught up to him, much to Seifer's dismay. Selphie was the last to stack on the elevator. She studied the switch before pressing the STOP button she accidentally pressed earlier. She grinned as their captain glared at her.

The elevator was down at a high speed before loosening up and fell all the way.

"AAAIIIEEEE!"

Everyone flew into the air. Selphie and Seifer fell down hard to the floor against each other, bumping their heads. Zell and Squall were quick to jump, landing safely on the ground beside the elevator.

In an impossible pain, Seifer sat up, taking a few deep breaths before giving up, screaming his lungs out to Selphie, "WHAT DID YOU DO NOW, YOU LITTLE-"

The girl dashed behind Zell's back. "I didn't do anything! The elevator must be broken because we're too heavy!"

"You mean HE is too heavy, right?" Zell pointed at their Captain. "It's obvious that the elevator can't handle too many people on it. Now among all of us, he's the heaviest one…"

Seifer gritted his teeth. "If the Messenger Girl wasn't on her best _'let's screw Almasy up'_ behaviour, I would get down first and none of you guys will fall!"

Selphie shrieked when Seifer ran to her. She rushed outside with the captain tailing her ready to strangle the bad luck girl. Squall put his palm on his face, sighing.

As he left the tower, Squall watched as Selphie darted ahead screaming all the way with Seifer chasing her muttering obscenity. He looked at Zell who shrugged. The two of them started walking when Zell heard a sound.

"Huh? What's…?" He glanced left and right trying to locate the source.

Just then, a giant robot was falling on top of him.

Screaming, Zell fell down under the heavy weight and struggled to get away. Squall rushed to him and pulled his friend out below the giant spider.

"WH-what is that?" Zell stood up and the two of them stepped back with their eyes on the spider. The spider-looking robot creaked out weird whirring sound. Its eyes focused to the pair. All of a sudden the metal dashed towards them.

The boys scampered to escape the robot. Zell ran faster than Squall. Half the way below the cliff he turned around and shouted, "Squall! Away! I'm summoning Quez!"

Squall lunged forward and crawled throughout the _Thunder Storm_. Quezacotl threw the giant spider far with his electricity while Zell ran to his roommate and yanked him out of the GF's attack leaving the GF to finish his job.

Selphie and Seifer had seen the fight from afar and stopped their childish behaviour. Seifer towed Selphie and sprinted; the girl was struggling to put her feet on the ground as she almost flew being dragged by the tall gunblader.

XATMO092 pushed its body up straight after a heavy blow by Quezacotl. The GF returned to his fleeing holder. The metal realized that the two nearby could cast thunder, its weakness. The eye of X-ATMO092 scanned further, to the running two ahead. Its quick scan reported that the girl contained no danger, and the man had no thunder spell or GF. The man would not cast magic on it.

They were better preys.

Squall and Zell tumbled to the ground as X-ATMO092 flew passed them.

"Selphie! Seifer! Look out!" Zell screamed.

Selphie look behind her as the giant robot flew toward her. The robot had found its target. She screamed when the robot landed and sat on top of her crushing her body.

She released her hold on Seifer's hand.

The blond man turned and saw the girl pass out below the giant spider. He raised his fist and screamed, "Firaga! Firaga! Firaga!"

Three high level spells of fire blew the surprised X-ATMO092 and Seifer pushed the stunned metal away from Selphie. He crouched down, pulled the girl from below the robot and took her in his arms.

Seifer had no curatives. He'd never used it. Now, as he ran and left the broken X-ATMO092, he wished he had at least a cure spell with him. Selphie's head rolled back and she didn't seem to breathe. Giving the crushed girl a CPR would kill her. So he ran, the fastest he ever did, to the shore.

Seifer couldn't care less about Selphie, if only the girl didn't help him. If she didn't release her hold on him when the robot pulled her down, the gunblader would be crushed as well. It was easier for Selphie to hold on, but she didn't. Seifer thought he had been running for an hour before he reached the coast. In reality, he only ran for five minutes before their vessel appeared in his line of sight. Squad B's vessel was the only one left, and when he ran inside, Quistis and Xu frowned at him.

"You know, Seifer, it's…" Xu stopped when she noticed a dying Selphie on Seifer's arms. The high ranking SeeD pulled on Seifer's arms and motioned him to put the girl in the cabin. "What's wrong? Answer me, Almasy!"

Seifer shook his head, trying to clear the pain pounding in his head. _Must be from running too hard…_"She was crushed under a big robot. Can't give CPR. Internal bleeding and unconscious state… We had no Curaga spell; our curatives were too low…"

Xu pushed the blond gunblader away as she scanned Selphie and quickly cast Curaga. Quistis walked inside the cabin, watching the process. She looked at ashen Seifer. "Are you okay, Seifer?"

Seifer glared at her, saying nothing. _How can she be so calm?_

"Is that Tilmitt?" Quistis said, crossing her arms. "Her squad has just left; her instructor left her to us."

"So what, Instructor? I failed because she's going to die? Who in the right mind would put her under my watch, anyway?" Seifer narrowed his eyes as Quistis waved her hand.

"No, no. That's not what I meant at all, Seifer. You took a good care of her."

"You call THIS a good care?" Seifer pointed at Selphie. "Either you're drunk or you read the manual in reverse!"

"Actually, if you read the manual in reverse, you can still figure it out, Seifer," replied Quistis. "You carried her here, don't you? You can leave your group and leave her to death, but you chose to run here in order to save her life. So, I'm saying that you did look after her." She pointed to the door. "Let's get out; it's not good for her to hear all this noise."

As Seifer followed Quistis out, Xu whispered to him, "…At least you did one thing right, Almasy."

Seifer had no more energy to mock the woman. He walked out and looked around before leaning on the opened vessel wall toward the shore. Walking closer, Quistis leaned on the wall across him; her eyes inspecting the shore.

"So, how did the tower inspection go?" she started.

Seifer looked away, snorted. "The Galbadian opened up the old satellite, sending signal somewhere."

"What for?" She studied her oldest student.

"Don't know. Don't care now." Seifer looked inside as Xu walked towards them. "She…?"

"Stabilized, but I'm running out of Curaga. Quis, hand me some?" Xu glanced to Seifer as her friend handed her all her Curaga. "Seifer, you can upgrade spell, right? I had sixty-five Cures and twenty-five Curas. Can you upgrade it to Curaga if I gave them to you?"

"Never tried before, only did it with attack spell." Seifer held out his hand. "Try me."

Xu transferred all her Cure and Curas spells before walking back inside the cabin. She needed to infuse Selphie with Curaga every few minutes to fill her lungs with air, or she would collapse. The SeeD frowned, turning around and looking at her friend who was scanning the shore for her Squad members. "Quis, we'll leave in two minutes. She needs to get a medical attention as soon as possible. I knew we still got fifteen minutes, but this is an emergency medical procedure. I'm sorry."

Quistis bit her lip as Xu withdrew to the cabin. She saw Seifer close his eyes and mutter something. Both of his hands glowed. She'd never understood his abilities. He, too, had always mocked her for her Blue Magic that she could cast without GF. The vessel's engine started humming and the ship started to part ways from the shore when Zell's voice tore the air.

"Nooo! Don't leave us!"

Quistis's eyes widened, seeing the spiky blond running to the vessel and lunging inside. Zell landed on the steel floor, coughing for breath. "Don't leave… Squall…"

"Zell!" Quistis crouched and cast Cure at him. "Where's Squall?"

"I… ran faster… he supposed to… behind me…" Zell took a deep breath. "The stupid spider after us…"

"Spider?"

"The robot," replied Seifer, opening his eyes. "I thought I killed it."

"We thought so too…" Zell sat on the floor. "Until it rose up and started hacking us like crazy and… Squall!" He turned to the shore.

Squall was running towards them, X-ATMO092 hot on his heel. Quistis stood, ran to the ladder and climbed up. Dashing to the open roof, without any hesitation Quistis punched the weapon button. A machine gun rose up and she positioned it to the robot.

"Squall, duck!" she yelled. Squall looked up; his eyes showed terror as he realized how his Instructor could kill him on the way. He ran faster and charged into the moving vessel. Quistis fired XATMO092 with hundreds of shells, halting its way. Zell held up his hand, snatched Squall's hand and tugged him inside. Seifer raised his eyebrow as X-ATMO092 turned its eyes to him.

"How many lives you have?" he growled before holding out his fist. "Firaga! Aero!"

The huge mixed orb of flame and gust formed in his fist. He opened up his fingers and threw it towards the giant spider. XATMO092 crashed and fell backwards, leaving its stomach opened. Seifer shook his head as the headache grew, yet still casting.

"Firaga!"

XATMO092 blew up; the force of heated metal shoved the vessel into the sea further.

Seifer sighed, leaning to the wall as the vessel hatch closed. He slumped down to the floor and noticed Squall and Zell in front of him. Their eyes were staring at him.

"What, Chicken-wuss?"

This time, Zell didn't react to his mockery. "You really can cast magic without GF!"

"I told you so."

"And... A very strong one as well! And fast! And repeatedly!"

Seifer rolled his eyes as Quistis strode down the stairs. He stood up and walked inside the cabin, leaving the astonished Zell blabbing about how impossible it was to cast a high-level magic repeatedly without magic poisoning. He looked down at the comatose Selphie and tired-looking Xu. "I've upgraded the magic. Here."

Xu waved him away. Her head leaned to the couch where Selphie lay. "Later… it's weird. She's supposed to be waking up right now. Her lungs keep collapsing. Curaga can't help much if her own body is refusing help."

Seifer stared at the fainted girl. "When are you supposed to infuse her again?"

"Now. But I can get magic poisoning for too much casting, so I'm keeping a bit of rest here. Could you call Quis on me?"

"Nah, she's hovering over Puberty boy. I can do it." Seifer held out his hand, allowing a gentle flow of curative magic into Selphie's body.

Xu glanced up. She was surprised to see Seifer's magic actually did a lot more healing than hers. Selphie's skin began to look normal again and her breath steadied. Xu scowled at Seifer, but he didn't seem to care as he sat across Selphie and crossed his arms.

_Damn, my head hurts so bad._

* * *

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

Next chapter:

_Will she stay alive?_

_...Did the small difference of time really change people's fate?_


	5. Hey! I'M The Main Character!

**Chapter V: Hey! I'M The Main Character!**

* * *

Fujin stood on the harbour, eyes on the lone SeeD vessel coming closer to the port. Raijin stood next to her, his mouth grinned wide as they waited for their captain to emerge from the vessel.

The vessel stopped and the hatch opened. However, this time the man with a grey trench coat pushed everyone away instead of striding out grandiosely. He dashed out of the vessel, carrying a girl in his arms.

The posse stared at Seifer with a surprised look as the man ran towards them and yelled, "Rai! Car! Quick!"

They scurried into the Garden transport vehicle. Raijin hopped into the driver's seat; Seifer barged into the back with Fujin tailing him ready to guard the pale girl he held in his arm. She closed the door and the car darted away, leaving a long trail of smoke behind.

"H—Hey! Not again!" Zell opened his arms wide, exasperated. "There goes Mr. Ego…"

Squall crossed his arms. "He _is_ carrying Selphie, Zell."

"I know! But—ah, forget it…" Zell turned to Quistis and Xu.

"Good job." Quistis looked around. Nobody else from Garden was around. "Just be sure to get yourself back to Garden at sundown. You're free 'til then. Dismissed." She walked with her friend towards the waiting Instructor's vehicle.

Squall sighed. "Might as well walk it."

Zell rubbed his head. "Yeah, but… I'm starving! Do you think we can stop by at Ma's? Maybe if I bring you, she makes more hot dogs this time." Squall and Zell had been roommates since Zell entered Garden at age twelve. There were many occasions when Zell dragged him to Balamb just so his mother would cook more food. They weren't best friends, but Squall didn't hate eating delicious meals every now and then. It made Zell a more bearable roommate to have; his mother's home cooking was good enough to ignore his other flaws.

"Sure."

-x-

-x-

Dr. Kadowaki finished stitching on the wound of a cadet when Seifer barged in. She looked up and noticed something unusual: he was carrying a girl!

Seifer looked around, not finding a single empty bed in the infirmary. Cadets that just arrived from the exams, just like him, filled the room. His eyes scanned the crowd until he noticed a boy with a broken arm, lying down on the bed. He walked to him, raised his foot and kicked away the boy's body until he fell from the bed.

"Auw!" the boy complained, but Seifer paid no heed. He laid Selphie down and cast Curaga once more, making sure the girl kept breathing.

Dr. Kadowaki came closer to them, hushing the injured boy away. She studied the unconscious Selphie and the haggard-looking Seifer.

"Seifer... Aside from the actual violence, what do we have here?" She scanned Selphie and frowned. "How many Curaga have you infused her with?"

"I didn't count." Seifer looked around, everyone but the doctor was staring at him. "WHAT ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING AT? SCRAM! The last one still stays in this room when I finish my count will taste Hyperion! One! Two!"

The patients fled in a minute, leaving the three of them alone.

Dr. Kadowaki shook her head. "There is no point on Curaga. Her body refuses it. You infused her with at least eighty Curaga, yet she hasn't awake. For an internal wound, twenty Curaga should be max."

"If I stop casting, she'll die! Did you just say I should let her die?" Seifer yelled to the Doctor when his posse entered the infirmary.

Fujin glanced at Raijin before she spoke, "SEIFER! RIN?"

"Huh?" Seifer turned to her. "What?"

"Eh, Rin wants to know when you come home, she's getting bored, you know," Raijin spoke for his sister. "She's searching every room in Garden, and she's getting cranky, you know..."

"TELL?" Fujin asked.

Seifer shook his head. "No! Don't tell her I'm here! Listen, just—" Seifer forced himself to think._ This isn't supposed to happen! I knew having her in here will give me trouble!_ "Guys, take her to your room, get her ready for the ball. I'll introduce her to Cid there."

The posse nodded. Fujin watched Selphie with interest. "HOW?"

"She... was crushed." Seifer took a deep breath and sat on the other bed. "I've been crazy with Curaga, but she's still not up."

"FAIL?"

"I don't know." Seifer looked at the doctor trying to wake Selphie. "Will she die?"

"I can't think of any other result. We can't do anything."

"Poor girl..." Raijin said. "She'd just lost her backpack, you know. I met her this morning when the Queen Lady ordered her around. Fuu, can we take care of her puppy after she passed away?"

Seifer and Dr. Kadowaki stared at the giant man with a confused look.

"Puppy?" Seifer tried to remember if he saw a four legged creature inside the Garden. He indeed saw some, in the Training Centre. They obviously weren't puppies. "How do you know she has a puppy? Did it run around with her this morning? I don't think the faculty allows it."

"Well, she's been bitten, you know." Raijin pointed to the small bite wound on Selphie's right leg. "It's a puppy bite, you know."

Seifer's eyes grew wide as he stood up. Fujin and Dr. K came closer to Selphie, inspecting the wound. Fujin rolled her eyes, turned to her oblivious brother and kicked his shin hard.

"IDIOT!"

"Aaagh! What? What did I do now?" Raijin clutched his leg.

Dr. K smiled. "Good job, Raijin! If you didn't notice it, we'd just let her away!"

Seifer closed his eyes and held his forehead. "Baby Anacondaurs' poison! Damn, why can't I see it?"

"You can't. The wound is usually too small. And it isn't threatening, unless the person's health fails in a range of three days."

"Huh?" Raijin was confused. "You mean if she's not being bitten she will be okay now?"

"To put it simply, yes. I'll inject her with the antidote, and her body will fight the attack. With the amount of Curaga inside her body, she just needs to rest." Dr. Kadowaki headed for the medicine cabinet. With nothing else to do, Fujin and Raijin nodded to Seifer before leaving the infirmary.

"Now, Seifer, what happened to you?"

Seifer frowned. He lay down on the bed next to Selphie's. "I'm good."

"I'm a doctor, Seifer. Explain the headache to me. Is it sideways?"

"Heck, I'm okay, alright? I cast too much magic, maybe some magic poisoning. I'll just crash for a bit. Wake me when the exam score is up." He closed his eyes as Dr. Kadowaki injected Selphie with basic antidote.

_I ran around and made a fool of myself for nothing! If only I noticed sooner and gave her an antidote..._

"Aaaah!" he yelped when the doctor pressed the bruise on his forehead. "What are you doing?"

"Does it hurt?"

"Like hell it is!"

"Then it is not magic poisoning." The doctor scanned Seifer, ignoring the scowl. "You never had a GF, Seifer. You won't get magic poisoning, it only happens when a person used too much GF. Normal people can't cast magic by themselves, that's why GF altered their body for the purpose. Too much magic will force a human to alter their body more, hence why it is called magic poisoning."

"You never told me that." Seifer cringed as she kneaded his forehead. "Stop it! It hurts everywhere!"

"I never told you, because there's no point in telling you that you won't get a magic poisoning. Your body naturally adapts to magic. If I told you, you'll be even more careless and brash."

"I'm not brash! Stop it!" whined Seifer, raising his hands up and trying to wave the doctor's hand away.

"Seifer." She looked at him, the way she knew Seifer would always listen to, since he was eight. The grown boy sighed and let the doctor inspected him. "Did you crash your head against something?"

Seifer narrowed his eyes, relishing the accident with a bad taste. "Twice." He pointed to the now sleeping Selphie in an accusing manner.

"Okay..."

"She crashed her head hard with me when she fell from a cliff. Hard! Then we fell down from the elevator, she and I crashed our head again!"

Doctor Kadowaki smiled. The boy would act this way if there were no other person around. He needed more medical attention and stitches than any boy his age, so it was no shock to everyone that he favoured her more than any instructor.

"Okay, Seifer, aside from the _hard_ crash. Did you cure yourself after each crash?"

"Why should I? I'm not dying! Only a wuss cures himself after a bit of a head-bump!"

"A head-bump? Oh, Seifer... I thought I've taught you more than that. You just didn't bring any curatives, did you?" Seifer looked away. "I thought so. And you were too... Let's say, prideful, to ask Squall or Zell to cure you?"

"I'm not prideful!"

"Seifer... Did you know your brain's bleeding?"

"What?" That got his attention.

"Your brain suffers from the crash, Seifer. It swells and bleeds. You're forcing yourself. I assumed you ran and cast magic more than necessary."

"But that is necessary!"

"Enough!" The doctor glared. "Now shush. Lay down, I'll give you Hi-Potion, and you _will_ rest and not leaving this place until the brain heals and shrinks back to its normal size. I'm amazed you made it this far, not lying down the hall with blood comes out from your ears."

"That's because I'm good." Seifer smirked. It faded away when the doctor glared at him. He lay on the bed and closed his eyes.

_At least everything's okay now._

"Ooh, _poor Almasy_ bumped his _head HARD_... Isn't that _sad_, Quis?"

_Or not. _Seifer opened his eyes and turned to the door. Quistis and Xu stood side by side and leaned on the doorframe, both sporting wide grin. Xu tilted her head.

"Is your head hurting painfully, _sweet_ Almasy?" she said, in a sickeningly sweet tone. Quistis brought her hand to her lips, hiding her smile.

_They heard it—they heard it! _Seifer closed his eyes, hoping the instructor and the high ranking SeeD would just go away.

The instructor entered the infirmary, smiling wide and headed to his side. "Doctor, will Selphie be alright?"

"Yes, Quistis. Just give her some time." The doctor ignored the desperate peek of the boy who was lying down and pretending to be asleep. "Could you give this to Seifer?"

Seifer's eyes opened up and he sat, only to be held down by Xu. Quistis grinned as she accepted a big vial of Hi-Potion from the doctor, who turned back to her papers.

"No! I can do it MYSELF!" Seifer tried to grab the vial. Quistis batted his hand and nodded to the smiling Xu, who cast Paralyze on him. "Stop it! This is _not_ funny!"

"It isn't for you." Quistis smiled slyly as she poured the vial to Seifer's stunned head. "It is for us."

"To my lips! Not my head!" Seifer gritted his teeth as the ice-cold vial drenched his head.

"As far as I know, pouring it onto the wound and drinking it actually give the same result," said Xu. "Or, did the baby wants us to _feed _him?"

"No! I don't... Stop it! Doctor!" Seifer could not evade the cold slimy vial on his head. The headache slowly faded away, the shamefulness punched in full force. "How can you let them do this to me?"

The middle-aged woman looked up from her writing. "Do what? They heal you, Seifer... Now, don't scream, this is infirmary. Patients need to rest."

"But I'm the patient!"

Quistis poured the rest of the Hi-Potion to his head. Now his hair, clothes and skin were all slimy to the waist, and as cold as ice.

"I _will _report this! This is student molestation!"

"Why, Almasy." Xu showed her straight white teeth close to his nose as Quistis turned to throw the vial away. "If everything goes well, you might not be a student anymore tonight."

Seifer glared at Xu. His brain, which was now getting happy and healthy again, soon processed the news to the owner. "You mean...?"

Xu's smile faded, replaced with a scowl. "You didn't follow the rules, you ran away from the designated area. Because of Miss Tilmitt, your instructor found it out and gave away the permission to do so.

"You didn't leave your squad as you usually did, maybe because it was forced on you this time, but still you were with them to the end. You carried another squad member in order to rescue her life, it's the only reason you left your own squad to battle by themselves.

"You ended up killing the robot that was battling your squad, yet still gave another squad member high magic repeatedly to save her. You carried her here to get a better treatment, even if that means hijacking the garden vehicle to do so."

Seifer couldn't believe his ear.

Quistis studied Selphie before she spoke: "As much as we think about how arrogant and ungrateful you are, in this field exam you did the right thing. I don't know the whole story, but when I studied your case, your brash and stupid behaviour actually helped you this time. We talked to the Faculty, if they trust us..."

She raised her eyebrows to Seifer. "Well, there is _no reason_ to distrust us. You already knew how much Cid _loves _you. That's why you've been having SeeD exam since you were—fourteen, I assume? He'll back you up, and hopefully win this time."

Seifer stared at his bed, stunned not only by magic but also by the news. Xu cast Esuna on him before she tilted her head to the door.

Quistis nodded. "Okay, that's all. After you get better, wake Selphie and go to the second floor. The score'll be up in two hours or so. Get better, Seifer. Good luck. I mean it this time."

After they left, Seifer shook his head.

_Is this... For real? After four years? _

"I'm happy for you, sweetheart," said the doctor, still not looking up from her report. "After Selphie wakes up, you better thank her. It seems to me that everything Xu said revolved around her. If she's not there at the right time, everything will be different."

Seifer listened to the doctor as he replayed today's event in his mind.

"Noooo! My chocobag!"

Seifer and Doctor Kadowaki turned their heads to Selphie when she screamed and sat up. Her lips began to tremble when she noticed Seifer and her own cadet uniform.

"...It's not a dream, isn't it? I lost my chocobag... uuhuu..." She cried.

_Don't tell me she's crying because of a measly bag rather than her almost-died status..._

"My chocobag..." Selphie had just been crushed and being assumed would never make it, but that's the least of her worries right now. "I have everything inside my chocobag... My Cards, my clothes, Mommy's picture... My cadet's food coupon... My three thousand Gil... I'm broke, I'm poor, I don't have anything..."

She pushed her head back down to the pillow and turned, starting to cry on the pillow. "I'm going to die."

"We just saved you, my dear," said the doctor, amused. "Saying that you're going to die will make our efforts worthless, isn't it?"

Selphie turned her swollen eyes to the doctor. "I have been… saved?"

"Why, yes. Seifer there just helped save your life. He carried you, cast Curaga so many times and worried about you so much he didn't even care about himself. He almost died saving you."

Seifer snorted as Selphie looked at him with adoring look. "Really, Captain? You did that for me? Thank you... Why are you wet?"

"Gah!" Seifer threw his hands into the air. "Is that you want to ask about? How about, how did you get here? Why weren't you dead under the stupid giant spider? Where are the others?"

"Well, I am about to ask that too, but since we are in Garden, I assume everyone's okay!" Selphie sat up, smiling to the sighing squad captain. "Thank you! Thank you! Why did you almost die?"

"Because you crashed my head! Twice!"

Selphie's eyes grew wide in horror. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm really sorry! But... Why are you wet?"

"Agh—just forget it!" Seifer leaned back on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Thank you."

"Huh?" Selphie tilted her head. "For what?"

"For—"

"Yo!" Zell's excited voice cut him off. The spiky blond ran into the room, opened up his arms and hugged Selphie. "You're okay!"

"I'm okay!" replied Selphie, hugging the boy back. "You guys too!"

Squall paced inside the infirmary, nodded to the doctor, ignored Seifer and spoke to Selphie, "You're awake."

"I'm awake!" Selphie left Zell's arms and opened up her arms wide to hug Squall. The boy shook his head and stepped back, leaving the girl sad and pouting.

"Well, it's cool that everyone made it back." Zell sat on Selphie's bed. "The exam score will be up soon."

"Yeah." Selphie nodded her head, "I can't wait. I have to pass!"

"You can't guarantee that." Squall put his hand on his hip.

"But I have to! I don't have anything, so I have to get a job to eat and buy clothes."

Zell and Squall stared at her.

"Don't your parents give that to you?" Zell frowned.

Selphie shook her head, oblivious to the point she made. "No, I lost everything. If I don't get to be a SeeD today, I'll have to wear this uniform every day until I pass the exam."

Zell looked at the girl as Squall rolled his eyes noticing that his roommate was touched by the girl's poor state.

The martial artist collected Selphie in his arms and started whispering; "It's okay, it's okay... If everything goes bad, don't hesitate to come to me or Squall... We have money, I have a mom... You can have my mom, we'll share... I'll ask her to make you clothes..."

Selphie was stunned. "...Huh?"

Zell released her, his eyes watering. He wiped his tears as he smiled encouragingly to her. "It's going to be hard... I can't say that I understand, but we'll share your pain. Actually, I came to ask Ifrit back, he belongs to Squall... But now I will give him my Siren. Just be strong, okay? I'll help you anytime..."

Squall put his right palm over his face. He knew Selphie didn't mean to say that she didn't have _anything_, but explaining that to Zell would prove fruitless anyway. "Zell, let's go."

Zell nodded and hugged Selphie once more. "You're a strong girl. I'll cry so much if I were you..." He waved to the frowning Selphie before leaving the clinic.

Selphie turned to Seifer. "Why... Will he cry so much over my Chocobo bag?"

Seifer smirked. "That's why I called him chicken-wuss. You should try that sometime."

-x-

-x-

When Seifer entered his dorm, Rinoa was there.

"Seif! I thought you'd never come back!" She pouted. "I searched everywhere for you! Where've you been?"

_Oh yeah, this girl is still here..._ "I was in the infirmary, something happened." He stepped back when Rinoa came closer to hug him. "Don't. I'm wet."

"Oh. Well." Rinoa twirled around, showing her cream-coloured dress. "How's this? Raijin said you're going to introduce me to Cid in the party, is that true?"

"Yeah, it is. You're pretty." Seifer entered his room, removing his wet trench coat and shirt, not noticing Rinoa was looking at his body with interest. "How's your day?"

"It's boring. I think Garden needs a little more enlightenment! There were this bunch of weird people in big robes and headdresses shouting to me and ordering me around. Raijin said just ignore them or mention your name to them so they will leave me!"

"That's the Faculty." Seifer had to wash the trench coat; it smelled like cactus vial and Chocobo eggs, which he always guessed were the main ingredient for a Potion. Glad to know they were. "Rai was right, if you said my name they won't bug you." He had to find something to wear aside from his trench coat. Seifer opened his closet and started rummaging around.

"Really? Wow, you're so popular! Some people I met said they know who you are and they treated me really well!" Rinoa entered his room, and helped him by grabbing a black T-shirt and a blue tuxedo. "Here! You can wear this to party!"

"No, that's too tight on me."

"But that's the point! You have a great body! Why'd you hide them behind that old trench coat anyway?"

Seifer glanced down at his waterproof watch. He had to talk to Cid before the score. After the score was up, the ball would begin in thirty minutes, so there was no time. Whether he passed or not, he should catch up to the headmaster, so he could fulfil his promise to Rinoa.

"Eeeww…" Rinoa grimaced, throwing his clothes to the bed. "You smelled like a rotten cactus and eggs... Your field exam was to battle Cactuar and Chocobo?"

Seifer grinned, for a while remembering why he was once so into Rinoa. "No, I got an accident with a Hi-Potion. Okay, I'll wear that... I think I'll get a shower first." He walked to the bathroom; letting Rinoa had a view-fest on his bare back.

_I have to say this to her later... She thinks we're still together... Better let her have her fun now._

-x-

-x-

When Selphie walked out of the infirmary, Nida waved at her.

"Hi."

"Nida!"

The man nodded and motioned to the hall. "I come to get you to squad A and C's waiting room. Squad B and D get another spot on the second floor."

Together, they walked to the elevator.

"So, Nida, how's your mission?"

Nida chuckled. "You already knew I reached the beach! I'm here, I'm cool. I heard you got hurt."

"I'm fine now. If only I cured myself with an antidote, I won't have to make everyone worried. Were you worried about me?"

"Not really. You're too cheerful to die this young," Nida answered when they waited for the elevator to arrive.

When they reached the second floor, Selphie noticed Zell standing in front of the classroom and waving to her. She ran to him, ignoring Nida's shout that he went to class three-o-three if she wanted to catch up.

"Hi!" Selphie stopped next to the grinning Zell. "Have you guys been waiting for a long time?"

"Yeah!" Zell pointed to Squall. "He waits longer than I do!"

"I do not."

"Where's Seifer?" Zell asked.

Selphie scanned the crowd. "He said he's going back to change clothes and do something. I don't think he'll miss the score!"

"Maybe he knows he won't make it!" Zell said. Squall almost nodded in agreement.

Just then, Nida jogged out from class three-o-three and yelled, "Hey! We made it, Selphie! To the elevator!"

"REALLY? BOOOYAAAKA! Later, guys!" She ran to catch up with Nida, who's already inside the elevator shaft. "We made it! We made it!" Selphie bounced inside the elevator. Nida looked around, hoping the elevator wasn't fragile. "But... where's Emil? He doesn't make it?" She looked around; there were just two of them. "Only us, two?"

"I haven't told you that yet." Nida headed outside when the shaft door opened. "Emil... He never made it."

"Yeah, I know. He's not here."

"No... I mean, he never came back to the vessel. He never reported to me either, I tried contacting him many times but he never answered." Nida reached into his pocket and drew a torn, broken MONO chip in his hand. "Squad D said he helped a girl from their Squad battling soldiers. The girl escaped, he didn't. They never knew where he went, and this was all that's left of him. The only cadet that came back with Squad A vessel was me."

Selphie stared at the torn pin. Emil was like her, they weren't strong so they had to help each other. She thought if she made it, Emil would be as well, even if he liked to pout and whine a lot.

_If I were the one who pulled out the Phoenix Down... Would it be me... who never made it back...?_

The elevator opened as Nida pocketed the pin back. Zell punched his fist in the air, strolling out from the elevator with Squall. "We made it too!"

"And Seifer..." Squall frowned, never thought his rival would ever make it. "But he's not here."

"Well, his loss!" exclaimed Zell. "Let's go! The headmaster's office is over there!" He pointed to the obvious only door in front of them.

_Duh. They know where it is! _Squall shook his head as he walked to the door and pushed it open.

Seifer was sitting on the edge of the desk and talked to Cid. The headmaster stood across from him, smiling and nodding his head to Seifer's words.

Squall always heard the rumour about how much Cid favoured Seifer. In fact, he thought the only reason Seifer became a Disciplinary Committee was for evading every rules available and Cid was spoiling the arrogant boy too much. Now, as he looked at it himself, there was something more. Cid always said that he cared about his students like a father.

To Seifer, Cid was the real father.

Seifer glanced at Squall as he finished his words, making Cid realize there were other SeeDs inside the room. He coughed, allowing Seifer to walk to the four and line up as well. A Faculty member marched in with five scrolls on his arms. He scanned the line.

"Headmaster, this is the five students that passed today's Field Exam."

Cid nodded. "First of all, congratulations! From now on, as a member of SeeD, you'll be dispatched all over the world. We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers. SeeD soldiers are combat specialists. BUT...That is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes—"

The Faculty cut his speech, "Headmaster...It's almost the time for the meeting. Please make this short." He turned to the new SeeDs. "SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden. Its reputation is solely dependent on each one of you. Handle your mission with care. Is that what you wanted to say, sir? Here is your SeeD rank report."

Cid blinked and scowled to the Faculty. The man handed the report scroll to Cid. He walked to Selphie first and whispered, "I'm looking forward to the Garden Festival."

Selphie nodded, as Cid continued his whispers to Nida, Zell and Squall. When he reached Seifer, Cid smiled and whispered, "Two gunblade specialists. I always knew you would make it, Seifer. And yes, I would love to meet her. Congratulations!"

Because Squall was standing next to Seifer, he heard Cid's every word.

_Why is he getting five sentences when all of us only got one? He said as if they'd talked about Seifer brings home his future wife... What the hell about Congratulations! _

_Damn... no, I'm not jealous!_

"This ends the SeeD inauguration!" said the Faculty. "Dismissed!"

Squall was the last to walk out of the headmaster's office. A man he knew was Selphie's friend was smiling and waving at her before entering the elevator. Zell and Selphie studied each other's report before realizing they got the same eighth rank. Seifer peered at his report and scrolled it back, which surprised Squall. He always thought Seifer would be arrogant and insulted everyone else if he made it. Seifer headed to the opened elevator.

"Hey, man! We got eighth rank!" Zell punched his fist in the air. "What about you, Squall?"

The boy opened his report. "...I got ninth."

"What! How could it be? We're on the same battle every single time!" Zell tilted his head to read Squall's report. "Ah, this is unfair! How about you, Seifer?"

Seifer pressed the second floor's button. "What about me?"

"Don't play dumb! ...Oh! You got a bad rank! That's why you don't brag! Ha-ha! Seifer, what rank are you? One?"

Seifer looked at Zell with a calm, unidentified expression. "...I got seven."

"Oh..." Zell scowled. "At least you're still lower than us and Squall."

Seifer walked out when the elevator reached the second floor. His next words almost drowned by a loud clapping from everyone on the hall cheering for the new SeeDs.

But the group heard every word of it.

"I was rank seven. Apparently, because I killed something called X-ATM092, I got one rank up. Because I helped the Garden identifying Galbadians motive on Dollet and saving another squad member, I got two. So now I'm rank ten."

-x-

-x-

"This is amazing!" Rinoa admired the big decorated hall as they entered the party.

Seifer nodded. He had been in the SeeD balls way before he was actually allowed to. He often acted as Cid's servant boy, following him everywhere. Parties like these weren't an exception.

"Okay. I can't drag you all the way, so you just stay here; I'm going to look for Cid. And…" Seifer scanned the crowd. "Don't mingle unless you really had to. If you're bugged by someone you don't like, just say that Seifer Almasy is your escort. Okay?"

"Okay, _Dad,_" Rinoa teased, sticking out her tongue. Seifer walked away.

Rinoa liked parties. She was often going these kinds of formal parties when she lived with her father. When she grew up and realized that the party was just another excuse for him not to talk to his daughter alone, she decided that the luxury wasn't worth it. She almost forgot how it felt, in the middle of pretty dresses, expensive decorations, delicious food and tasteful wine.

Someone was running towards her. Rinoa was ready to reject the spiky blonde boy when he pushed her out of way between her and his precious hot dogs.

"I knew it! That's why there are no hot dogs in the cafeteria before! Greedy people want it for their big party! Guess what, hot dogs? Zell's coming for you!" The boy noticed Rinoa's odd expression as he held his hot dogs close to his SeeD uniform. "You want one, lady? Here, I can only give you one!" He showed one hot dog to Rinoa, who quickly shook her head.

"Uh, no—go ahead…"

"Okay!" The cute boy embraced his precious hot dogs when high-pitched shouts from Rinoa's left startled him. The boy's eyes widened; he took a step backwards, turned and began to run, avoiding a small SeeD girl who tried to catch him.

"Zell! You said you are my friend, but why won't you join a Garden committee?" She sprinted to catch up with the running blonde. "Zell!"

"Noo!"

Rinoa stared at the unique couple until they disappeared from the hall. That girl was the one she'd met this morning. So, she passed the exam too.

"Hello." Rinoa turned her head to a SeeD who stood next to her and offered his hand. "Care to dance?"

"Uh…" The man was not ugly, but—forgettable, so to say. "I'm sorry, I'm with Seifer Almasy."

The man bore his chocolate eyes to the ceiling. "Um. Never heard of him. So, let's dance."

_WHAT?_ Rinoa had nothing else to refuse him. The man held her hand, pulled her to the centre of the hall and started swinging her around. She needed to inform her boyfriend that someone wasn't afraid of him. That by itself was impressive.

"What's your name?" the man asked. They followed the Balamb Waltz without any flaws. Even she had to admit that he was good. "I'm Nida Roe."

"Rinoa Ca-Heartily. You're a SeeD?"

"Yeah, I guess that's obvious," he referred to his uniform. "You're very pretty. I guess that's why they're looking at you that way."

_Who?_ Rinoa turned to the way Nida was pointing at. She saw three old men staring at her, each of them seemed to be investors. Her father had a lot of meetings with people like that in the past: fat, short, bald and wore ridiculously expensive suits. "Oh-my-Hyne…"

Nida chuckled. "You haven't noticed?"

"Hyne, no!" Now Nida seemed to be a much, _much _better dance partner. "So I guess you saved me."

"No, I'm doing myself a favour… dancing with a pretty lady..." Nida smiled to Rinoa.

Rinoa raised her eyebrow. This man didn't seem like it, but apparently he was good with words. "I guess… don't guess a book by its cover, huh?" She laughed as Nida twirled her around, "My, you can dance as well as my boyfriend."

"Seifer Almasy? Actually, I think he passed the inauguration with me, but trust me, his name will mean nothing for those men." Nida took Rinoa farther and danced on the edge of the hall until the song finished. "If you mention his name to them, he'll get in trouble."

"Oh." Rinoa smiled as Nida ended the dance and bowed to her. She bowed back. "And you won't?"

"Well, I doubt they could even remember my face." Nida saw a figure behind Rinoa. "Now, excuse me, I believe I got to score another dance!"

He walked away from her, walking with confidence towards a blonde-haired woman wearing a peach-coloured suit at the end of the room. Rinoa had a feeling that she had seen her somewhere.

_Guess I have to dance with people to avoid old leeches… at least until Seifer found me…_ She looked up when stars were falling from the glass roofs of Garden hall. She watched the stars in awe. Then, she noticed a brown-haired SeeD looking at her. Their eyes met and Rinoa decided that the pretty boy might be a nice dance partner.

She walked towards him from across the room, relieved to see that the old men didn't take the chance to stop her.

"You're the best looking guy here," she said as she stopped in front of him. "Dance with me?"

The boy shrugged and looked away.

"Let me guess...You'll only dance with someone you like. Ok then... Look into my eyes..." She twirled her finger in front of his eyes. "You're-going-to-like-me...You're-going-to-like-me..." She stopped and studied the man. "Did it work?"

The man chuckled. _He's so cute when he smiles._ "I can't dance," he admitted in a low tone.

Rinoa smiled. "You'll be fine, come on. I'm looking for someone; I can't be on the dance floor alone." She dragged him to the dance floor.

-x-

-x-

Quistis watched in disbelief; Squall Leonhart, the resident iceberg, was dancing with a black-haired girl he'd just met. Next to her, Nida leaned in relaxed pose noting her obvious dislike.

"So, Trey… I guess that's the one now?"

"Eh?" Quistis turned her attention to Nida. "Sorry… come again?"

"We men have to wait at least fifteen minutes for that." Nida laughed as Quistis punched him playfully in the arm. "Seriously, Trey… never thought you'll want a stoic, cold boy like that. I mean, after me, he seemed a little… low for your taste?"

Quistis sighed. "…Whatever."

"…See? I bet that's his words you're using. Aside from the face, what is it about that… what, seventeen years old? What's good about him?"

"Hyne, Nida, we only eighteen. You talk like we're thirty." Quistis gazed at the dancing couple. "…But, to that question, I really don't know."

"He's just a pretty boy. I think he's smart, but then what else? Even the spiky blond who always rambled next to him, the one that ran with a bunch of hot dogs to avoid the Selphie-hunt, that one is better."

"Nida, that observation skill of yours is too much. We're not on the job anymore. No need to spy on everyone."

"It's just a habit. Don't tell me you forgot how it feels to be on the other side."

Quistis closed her eyes as Squall and the girl stopped the dance. She didn't want to look anymore. She put her head on Nida's shoulder, conscious that he was there to shoo all the other men who wanted to have a dance with her. She never liked party; never would.

"Why it is the only one who cares about me is my ex-boyfriend?" she murmured.

"Your boyfriend, you mean?" Nida said, grinned as he saw her scowl. "Yeah, yeah. Happen once, not twice. I'm here to fix that weird motto of yours."

"I don't know, Nida…" Quistis opened her eyes. "I really don't think we had the chemistry. You treated me just like everyone else. You flirt with everyone, escort _everyone _everywhere, being their best friend and then when they tried, all of them ended up like me."

"Starting to like an emotionally-impaired toddler?"

Quistis pinched Nida's arm, "Stop it! That's so mean! I mean, you left me… I…" She looked once more at the dance floor, but Squall was gone. "Where is he?"

"Oh, man…" Nida threw his hand up in hyperbolic act. "You don't even care that much about me. All that time and the head-on-shoulder thing was just an act? I'm hurt."

"Nida…"

Nida put his hand up, stopping Quistis's low growl that always came before the worst. "Okay, just kidding. I know what you meant about us. He just walked to the balcony. The girl, Rinoa, rejected him and now she dances with Seifer."

_Wow, he really is good at spying._ "Nida, thank you. And…" She kissed his cheek before whispering, "I think you shouldn't be _just a mechanic_. Your skills at that weren't as wonderful as this one. Maybe you should work in the field again."

Nida saw Quistis leave the room to find Squall. Turning towards the hall entrance, he watched Selphie enter the room with Zell and hot dogs in tow. It seemed like she managed to get whatever she needed from him, because Zell seemed defeated. He waved to Selphie, but then realized she was not going to notice him anyway, so he walked across the room towards the entrance.

He could get a dance with Selphie Tilmitt, and then Xu, maybe later with Rinoa Heartily again...

_Life's good._

-x-

-x-

"You really are an excellent student. Even that dance was perfect."

Squall turned around. Quistis stood behind him. "Thank you."

Then Quistis just stood there, no signs of leaving.

Squall sighed. "Yes?"

"So you'll dance with someone you don't even know, but you can't even stand being around me?"

_Why do you bug me so much? What do you want? Leave me alone… "._..Whatever. You're an instructor, and I'm your student. It's kind of awkward when you don't say anything."

Quistis thought about it. "That's true. I was like that myself. I've come to give you an order. You and I are to go to the Secret Area."

Squall frowned. Secret Area—that place where students met each other to do their 'other' activities? "What do you want to do there? Are we going to tell everyone they violate curfew? If that's the case, forget it. Leave that for Seifer."

Quistis shook her head. "Go get changed and meet me in front of the training centre." She waited until Squall left and closed her eyes, frowning to herself.

_Why am I doing this? For what purpose…?_

Maybe… to end this?_ After I know what he thinks about me, maybe I'll move on…_

_What if I don't want to?_

Quistis hugged herself, bowing her heads low. She'd never felt like this to anyone, not even Nida. How a small crush grew this far surprised her.

The SeeD meeting before the Ball came back to haunt her.

The only person who supported her was Cid. The Faculties were there to fire her. They said she was too friendly; she never acted like an instructor. She cared too much about her student and failed to see the meaning of life lesson. She protected Squall on SeeD exam even when it was against the rules. Cadets were to survive on their own; instructor only watched and graded them.

Then they started to question her about the permission she gave to Seifer. She permitted him to go on a rampant killing… Not to mention the stray mission that almost took cadet Tilmitt's life. Seifer did save Selphie, but that's after Quistis allowed him to take another squad member for an impossible task.

The faculty went on and on and on, and in the end telling her that they would take away her instructor's license. Cid stopped them, reminding them how all her students, including Seifer, passed the exam in her command. How Seifer's behaviour accidentally gave away the information about Galbadian soldiers on Dollet tower. He wanted them to give her one more chance.

Surprisingly, Quistis found out that she didn't even care. She still had her license now, but… if she lost it for saving Squall, she wouldn't regret it.

Quistis was _too_ in love.

She took a deep breath before nodding to herself and walking in the Garden hallway, where she waited for Squall to come.

-x-

-x-

"I saw you dance with Squall," Seifer said when they finished the dance. He showed Rinoa the buffet table and gave her a drink.

"Thank you. So the pretty boy's name is Squall?" Rinoa took the drink. "Is he your friend?"

"Not really. My only friend here is Fuu and Rai." Seifer rubbed his head, a bit confused as how he should start. "Listen, Rinoa…"

"Yes? Oh, Cid agreed with my plea."

"Really…? Uh, that's good…"

"Yeah… He said after the Ball, I should meet him at his office." Rinoa smiled to Seifer. "Thank you! If you weren't introducing us, I doubt we could ever hire SeeDs. We don't even have enough money to begin with."

"You're welcome." _Seems like I have to do this a hard way… how could I, if she looks at me that way? I mean, it would be like kicking a puppy!_

…_Hey, I did it with Selphie! She has that look and I've 'kicked' her numerous times. I don't feel guilty about it. Okay, here goes…_

"Seifer…" Rinoa started, not realizing Seifer's mind debate. "I… came not only for Timber Owl. I came for us…"

_Damn! Now I had to do this the HARD way!_

"I came for… our own peace…"

_Then she will… WHAT?_

"W—w—what do you mean?" Seifer stuttered as Rinoa gazed at him. He knew that look.

She pitied him!

"Seifer, we've been apart for eight months," Rinoa said, her tone low and sharp. "We lived our own lives, and after a while, the mystery of 'us'…" She waved her hands, noting her phrase even more. "I always thought it would be forever, but…"

_I-DO-NOT-BELIEVE-THIS!_

"Now I realize," Rinoa continued, not watching Seifer's relieved face. "We just don't fit. It's good while it lasted, but that's… that. Nothing more… I don't feel anything about you anymore. I mean, not in a physical way, because you're still the most handsome guy I ever met."

_Ooooooooooh yeah! If I am Zell, I will be punching my fist in the air now!_

"So… sorry, Seifer… I hope you're not so mad?" Rinoa glanced up; Seifer quickly threw his wide grin away and glued a dejected look on his face. "Oh, Seifer… I'm sorry… but this is for both of us…" She tried to hug him, but Seifer stepped back.

"No, not now." He held up his hand, _or I'm going to hug you and kiss you on the spot!_ "I…uh…" _should run away before she noticed I'm going to smile so wide. "_I think I… need to be alone now, sorry."

"Okay, I get it." Rinoa nodded. "But, could you at least take me to the elevator? I need to meet Cid now."

"Sure."

Seifer accompanied Rinoa into the hallway. Before she entered the elevator, Rinoa turned her head to Seifer. "Could I still sleep in that room next to you?"

"Sure." Seifer tried so hard to keep his expression stern.

"Okay… we're still friends, right?"

"Best friends."

Rinoa nodded and entered the shaft. When the door closed and the elevator rose up, Seifer glanced to the left and right.

There was no one there…

He laughed and punched his fist in the air, Zell's way. "Whooo-hooo!"

* * *

**_To be Continued_**


	6. Will Do Anything For Gil!

**CHAPTER VI: Will Do Anything for Gil!**

* * *

When Squall finally met Quistis, she had spent more than half an hour debating her own thoughts. The instructor nodded when she saw him using his usual clothes.

"Squall, I was just wondering...Have you fought T-Rexaur in the training centre?"

"I'm not sure..."

"You can defeat it quite easily by using Status Junction. Use a Sleep attack against T-Rexaur. Ask your GF to junction Sleep onto your Status Attack Junction, and attack. Come on; let's go to the Secret Area."

_Very nice, Quistis,_ she chided herself. _Keep talking like an instructor in class and maybe he'll notice you. Why do you keep digging your own grave?_

When they were halfway near the Secret Area, a T-Rexaur stepped out.

_I really don't want to deal with this right now._ Squall sighed, unsheathing his gunblade.

They went into battle stance. Squall raised his hand and shouted, "Sleep!" The dinosaur growled and lunged his claws at him, that Squall rolled back to avoid. He swung his gunblade to the giant and cursed when it did nothing. The dinosaur kicked him with his strong back foot. Squall flung into the bush.

Quistis tried her luck. "Sleep!"

The Dinosaur yawned and its eyes fluttered shut. Quistis put her middle finger to her forehead before she whispered, "I command thee... The power of Beast… Laser Eye!"

Her eyes shone, and lasers beamed out from her eyes. The dinosaur screamed as her Laser Eye bore straight through its bone, with an accurate cut of five inches of diameter wide each.

Squall frowned as he pulled himself up. Quistis had never done this during his GF test. She only stood behind and gave him some instruction, which was worthless for him. Was she junctioning any GF now?

_She has the same ability as Seifer? I never knew…_ Squall, once again, attacked the beast that had no more interest to fight. The beast's eyes rolled back and it tumbled, the ground trembled as it accepted the monster's weight.

"Sometimes Sleep didn't work the first time." Quistis blinked as her eyes went back to normal. "It's preferable for you to try again, rather than forcing physical attack on it."

_Yes, Quistis, go on. _She almost bit herself on her remark. _Why don't you bring him to the class and tutor him there? I'm sure he'll appreciate it…_

"Anyway…" She studied the dead dinosaur. "Let's move on."

There was a few couples there in the Secret Area, hugging and… _well,_ just did what couples did. Squall wondered why she told him to come here, seeing this wasn't the best place for a serious conversation.

_How can you conduct a proper speech with everyone around you glomping each other?_ He walked to the railing and leaned his arms against it. Be as it was, his instructor would say whatever she wanted and he would go to sleep.

Quistis, on the other hand, confused as how she should start.

_Hmmm… let's use 'what if' conversation. I'll talk as if I'm no longer an instructor and see how he would react. Who knows, maybe he will do something out of my prediction…_ "I haven't been here a while." _Oh, Quistis—what the hell…?_ "What time is it?"

Squall shrugged. "It's after midnight."_ I want to sleep, Instructor. Spill it and let us both have our rest._

"Oh…" _Here it goes, Quistis…_ "I'm no longer an instructor… Now I'm just a SeeD member like you. Maybe we'll end up working together."

"Oh, really."

_Huh? _She turned her head to the boy. "Is that all you're going to say?"

"If that's how it's decided, you have to abide by it."

_That's cold… Not even a cheer-up word? Not even one?_ She tried again. "They told me that I failed as an instructor. I lacked leadership qualities. I was a SeeD by the age of 15; got my instructor license at 17... It's only been a year since I got it..."

She sighed. "I wonder where I went wrong... I did my best..." Squall didn't seem to listen. "Are you listening?"

_I did, Instructor. I don't give a damn about your problem. That's yours. _"Are you done yet? I don't want to talk about it. What am I supposed to say about other people's problems?"

Quistis frowned. _He is worse than I thought he would be…_ "I'm not asking you to say anything. I just want you listen."

"Then go talk to a wall."

She was standing there. She wished the ground would break and swallow her. She wished there was an earthquake and she would fall into the crack, never to be seen again. If anyone told her that her heart was bleeding, she would believe it. "Aren't there times when you want to share your feelings with someone?"

"Everyone has to take care of themselves. I don't want to carry anyone's burden."

He turned and sauntered away, not realizing Quistis's unreadable expression.

_How can I fall in love with this... this boy? Someone who doesn't even care about me? What did I do wrong?_

She sighed, shaking her head. "…No leadership qualities... Failed instructor... Perhaps they're right..."

The trip back was quiet. Quistis almost couldn't hold her childish desire to run off by herself and leave Squall confused, but she knew better than ruining his last impression on her.

"Somebody help!"

They looked at each other before sprinting towards the end of the Training Centre. Squall saw the woman he had seen before from the infirmary window. Monsters surrounded her. The woman's face looked relieved when she saw them.

"Squall! Squall… Quisty?"

"What—" Before he had a chance to talk, the giant insect attacked him. Squall gritted his teeth as the insects crashed against him and pushed its fang into his chest. He raised his gunblade above the monster's body and stabbed the insects downwards.

After the T-Rexaur and today's battle, this seemed like a joke. The giant insects died as Revolver separated its body in two. Quistis used her whip against the other two, but the monsters were quicker.

_Why did she choose a damn whip as a weapon anyway? _Squall cut another insect while Quistis, whose whip was bitten by the other, finally call forth her Laser Eyes once again. Her eyes shone brightly, cutting the insects' shell. The last beast died. It fell to the ground. So did the woman they had just saved. Quistis turned her head, seeing two men in white walk towards the woman. Their attention seemed focused solely to her.

"It's not safe here," said one of them. "Let's go."

The woman nodded as they pulled her up. "…Alright."

Squall and Quistis watched until the party gone from their sight, before she said, "Who was that?"

He shrugged. Quistis frowned, but decided to keep any matter to herself and walk away. She approached the entrance of the Training Centre, Squall tailing, before Quistis stopped and turned towards the boy.

"Squall… Not everyone can get by on their own, you know," she said. He arched his brow. Quistis sighed, shaking her head and leaving.

Squall rolled his eyes and put his hand on his hip. "…Says who?"

-x-

-x-

"You won't send me even a thousand Gil, Mom?" Selphie sat on her new bed, resting her aching feet. Her hand was holding the room phone. She spent her night running after Zell and dancing five times with Nida. She deserved a break.

"It's time to learn responsibility, dear," Mia Tilmitt said, coughing. "You're a SeeD now, and you're smart. You can go get yourself a job."

"Mom, you know it's not that easy." Selphie lay down, resting her head against the pillow. "If we don't have a mission, there's no money."

"Well, I didn't send you away without anything, do I?" Mia reminded her again. "I'm not the one who lost my bag on the train."

Selphie pouted.

"Let's see it this way," her mother said. "Consider this a new start! If you're here, your friends will help you. Now, you should befriend new people, create a new life and take the responsibility—" She coughed again, harder this time. Her daughter frowned. "—well, you understand."

"Mom…Are you okay?"

"Why, yes. It's just a bit of a cough. The temperature's dropping very low now, so I feel a bit colder than usual."

"Oh. Well." Selphie looked at her SeeD watch. "I can't let you pay for this collect call if we talk too long, it's going to be so expensive. I'll call you again when I have money to pay it myself, Mom."

"Okay..." Mia coughed. "See you later, dear."

Selphie said goodbye to her mother. Then she looked around her. SeeD made good money, but that was only when they had missions. Everything was charged on them, for covering the cadets' free lodging. She had to pay for everything she got in here. Water, electricity, phone, food… Everything but her SeeD uniform was charged on her.

_How am I going to pay for this room? I doubt I can even get breakfast tomorrow..._

-x-

-x-

_There, you got your answer, Quistis. Now it's time to move on._

Quistis laughed in a desperate attempt to hold herself as she walked through the hall.

_If it's that easy, I won't even try to understand him. I'd just forget him if it's that simple…_

"Hey, Instructor!"

She sighed, shaking her head as she turned to the familiar voice.

Seifer sat on the hall bench, resting one of his feet atop another and waving to her. "Come, Instructor! Why the gloomy face?"

She walked to him, crossing her arms. "What is it, Seifer?"

"Just wondering about the tears," Seifer said, patting the seat next to him. "Here, sit here. Now tell me what's wrong."

If she were being her usual self, Quistis would throw a disgusted remark and walk away. She didn't even feel like it. Could you imagine the day when Quistis decided to be nice to Seifer…?

It was this day, apparently, since she sat next to him without any debate. "I'm not crying, Seifer."

Seifer stared at her in shock. He, too, had expected her to walk away. Studying her with suspicion, he blurted, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You're the one asking me to sit here, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I never think you would do what I want!" He grinned, obviously thinking something else now. "You know, Trepe…why don't we—"

"Don't push it, Seifer."

He scowled. Just then, Seifer saw his rival striding out from the Training Centre. As Squall's gaze clashed with him, he began to understand the reason of Quistis's behaviour.

Smiling and pretended that he didn't know Squall was there, he moved his head closer to Quistis. "…What is it? Tell me."

Squall narrowed his eyes as he saw Seifer's head came so close to her, it was almost as if they were kissing.

_Apparently, she really needs someone to listen to her problems, whoever they are. Maybe he's the reason she's not the instructor anymore. How could she even stand being near that bastard?_

Squall frowned.

_Why am I thinking this? …Not my problem…._

He turned away and headed to his dorm.

When Squall was out of view, the oblivious Quistis moved her head away from Seifer. "Don't get so friendly with me, Seifer."

Seifer smirked. "Is this about Puberty Boy?"

"Why do you care anyway?" Quistis leaned her body back, head to the back of the seat, "Am I that obvious?"

"Are you kidding? You have to be blind to not see it!" Seifer placed his elbow near her head, watching her close. "What is it? Really, tell me."

She kept her eyes to the ceiling. "Why can't you be this charming in class?"

"Why should I, if I'm only there for formalities?" he whispered, gently. "We both knew I only needed to pass the field exam. Now I have, and I'm no longer your student, right Instructor?"

"Stop calling me Instructor then, it's annoying."

"All right… Quistis." He smiled, and she turned her head to look at him.

_Actually, he really is handsome…_

"Just so you know, Squall started that pet-name for you," he continued, grinning, as he knew she wouldn't believe him. "That's true! Ask anyone! Even Chicken-Wuss know it; he just won't call you that when you're there! Sneaky little Pubes, he is—"

"Stop talking about him." Quistis said. "What about you? Where's your lady-friend?"

"She's here on a business trip." He shrugged. "We just broke up."

"Oh. Is this the part where I should say I'm sorry…?"

"Don't. It's better this way." He beamed. "Better for us both."

"Good, because I don't feel like cheering you up."

"Auch." Seifer sighed. "Whatever this is, it must be about Squall. It's starting to be sad when you copy him."

"I do not copy him."

"See? Even your reply's the same." Seifer waved his arms throughout the round hall. "See around you, Quistis. This Garden is huge. The world is even bigger. How come you only see one person when there are a lot of others around?"

Quistis knew she started to lose it when she considered Seifer's words. This was _Seifer's _words.

"I never understand your standards," the man said. "If he feels the same way, then yeah, that's great. If he's not… hey, there's another fish in the sea!"

"I don't like fishing, Seifer." Quistis looked down to the floor. "Is this pathetic…?"

"What?"

Well, it's obvious she was going nuts, so why didn't she go all the way? "The way I look every time he's near… Do I look pathetic?"

Seifer thought about it and shrugged. "Honestly? Yeah. You still look pretty though."

"The last part's not necessary." She nodded. "Maybe that's what I need."

"Being pathetic?"

"No." Quistis stood up. "This is a fun conversation, Seifer. Surprising, but fun." She left, ignoring the confusion shown on Seifer's face.

"…I'll never understand her." Seifer shook his head and stood up, stretching out the kinks.

_Well, it's time for the posse's party…_

-x-

-x-

_Okay, Selphie… This is a new morning, a new day, and you can do this!_

Selphie the SeeD cheered herself as she walked into the elevator. She wore her SeeD uniform. Usually a SeeD wouldn't even use their uniform unless on a party or formal mission, so she became the main attention when she entered the lift full of cadets. She grinned to everyone who was staring at her and pressed the third floor button.

Everyone but her left on the second floor, and Seifer strolled in. He frowned when he saw her uniform.

"Where to?" Selphie said. "Up? Down?"

He pointed up. "What are you doing with that uniform? Got a mission already?"

"No, I'm going to ask for a SeeD loan." Selphie skipped out when the door opened on her destination. Seifer followed her to Cid's office. Thinking that he had business in there, she entered the room with him.

"So..." Cid was not there, a faculty sat on his chair. "What can I do for you, Miss Tilmitt…?"

"I'm here to…" She turned to Seifer. "You want to go ahead?"

"No." Seifer held out his hand to the waiting faculty. "Give me the loan papers."

"You want to ask for a loan?" The faculty laughed. "I'm sorry, Almasy… I found this hard to believe…"

"Not me, her." Seifer still kept his palm up. "I'm going to show her the flaws."

"Oh… Oh!" The faculty's attitude changed. "Why don't you say so, Miss Tilmitt?"

"She won't." Seifer glared. "If you give her one without my knowledge, you know what I'll do."

"And what did you have to do with this, Almasy?" The faculty stood up, upset. "I don't think you have any business in here."

"I'm free to go anywhere I want." Seifer marched to the cabinet and pulled the top rack, ignoring the angry warning from the faculty.

"How dare you act like you own this place, Almasy!"

"I'm not. If I do I'd already fire you and your ugly peeps." Seifer pulled out a folder he was looking for, and waved it to the faculty's face. "Tell Cid I'm taking this one."

The faculty tried to grab the folder, but the blond gunblader was quick to pull it back. Seifer moved to the confused girl and pulled her arm. "Let's go. We're leaving."

Selphie turned her head to the faculty and Seifer but chose to follow the Trench Coat guy anyway. The faculty's angry yell was heard until the elevator's door was closed.

"What was that all about, Captain?" Selphie shrieked as he pushed the stop button on the elevator. The lift bounced and shook before it stopped. "W—what…?"

"Here." Seifer yanked the folder open and pulled out a paper. "Read this one."

Selphie took the paper from his hand and read it. "It seemed like normal contract."

"Not the big print." Seifer pointed down. "The fine print."

Selphie looked down. There was a small printed sentence below the formal letter. It was so small. She couldn't read it. "I can't..."

"Of course you can't. It's there. It reads: 'the loan will not be returned before half a year'."

"Okay… and what's wrong with that?"

Seifer stared at her. "…Are you really that dumb? How much do they charge?"

"Ten percent a week?"

"How much will it be for twenty-four weeks?"

"It's…." Selphie's eyes widened, as she finally understood. "Oh, no. I will get to pay two and a half times my own loan!"

"Not only that, they also add the credits into the loan, so your debts increase every week."

"I wouldn't be able to pay that. This is loan shark!"

"Nobody can." Seifer pulled the paper from her hands. "Many SeeDs fell for that. How much are you going to ask for?"

"Um… at least two thousand Gil…"

Seifer snorted. "Great. Just great…" He jammed the stop button and the lift started to shake alive. "Forget it, we got business."

"Business…?"

Seifer glanced at her through the edge of his eye. "You are going to the detention room."

Selphie's eyes widened. "Wh—why?"

"Think about it." He smirked as the shaft stopped at the second floor. "Why do people go to the detention room?"

Selphie's eyes watered. She trembled. "Am I getting detention, Captain? Because I hurt you yesterday…?"

Seifer dragged her out of the elevator. The girl struggled to pull away. "Just follow me."

"Noooooo…" She cried, wailing hard. The DC leader lugged her all the way, causing everyone to stare at them. "Pleaasee—Please, I'm sorry—I'm sorry, Captain—I can't get a black list noooow… Captaaaiiin—nooooo…"

Seifer dragged her all the way without any efforts at all, since Selphie didn't really know how to stick her feet against the slippery floor. He pushed open the detention room door and towed her in.

"I'm sorry!" Selphie wailed. "Please don't punish me… I'm sorry… I don't mean it… I can't be black listed now—huaaaaaaa…" She curled in her favourite pose, on the cold hard floor of Balamb sta—oh, I mean—detention room.

Seifer walked away from her, his eyes straight to the big closet. "Open it."

Selphie still curled up in her spot.

Seifer sighed, leaned down and pulled her arm, dragging the crying girl on her knees to the front of the big closet. He let her go and slammed the closet door.

"Quiet!"

She gasped, looking at him with fear and tears. Seifer pointed to the closet.

"Open it."

Selphie knew she would be locked there. She just knew it. She would be left to death in there.

"At least let me write my will first…" she said. "…I have nothing, but my mommy will be glad to know I'm thinking about her—on my last moments…" She buried her face against her palms, weeping, feeling sorry for the youth she'd lose in the moment she entered her Iron Maiden.

Seifer slapped his forehead. "Can't you spend one minute… just one minute without CRYING!"

Selphie bit her lips, trying her best to hold back her tears. Seifer glared at her. The girl stood up and with shaky fingers, opened her chamber of death.

She still tried to bargain, though. "Can't you let me go? Just this once—my corpse won't let out a good smell…"

"Messenger Girl! Agh, Hynedamn it! Just open the damn closet!"

She opened the closet door, screaming as tons of stuff fell on top of her, burying her down.

_Is this how I'm going to die? SeeD Selphie Tilmitt, age 17, died in closet fall…_

"That's all the old confiscated stuff we have. Take whatever you want."

Huh?

Selphie's head emerged from the piles. "For me?"

Seifer waved his hand. "You got nothing, right? There's nothing else we want from there." He sat on one of the chairs rounding a big table in the centre of the room. "Go ahead, splurge yourself."

Selphie's eyes widened as she turned to look around her, to the piles of stuff still burying her body. There were a lot of clothes, books, and other things—

"Are these… really for me?"

"How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

Her eyes shone. She stood up and cheered with glee. "I'm not here for detention?"

"If you want one that badly, I can arrange it."

She shut her mouth and crouched down, happily digging through the big piles.

-x-

-x-

Rinoa crossed her arms and scowled. "I knew it. He said there's no hard feeling, but he misses this on purpose, doesn't he?"

Raijin stared at his friend's ex-girlfriend with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, apparently, Mister Almasy is too good to at least see me off!" Rinoa shook her head, a gush of wind flipping through her clothes as the train entered the station. "I doubt he even wants to see me again…"

"HERE." Fujin pressed the ticket into her palm. "SEIFER, NICE."

"Yeah, what she said," Raijin said. "He got things to do, you know. He's a SeeD now and still a discip—uh what—I mean, DC leader. Our leader, you know. He's busier than us."

Rinoa didn't buy their explanation at all. "Well… just tell Seifer that I still think he's my best friend. The best I ever have." She entered the train, waving to them before disappearing into the cabin.

-x-

-x-

"Oooooooh!" She twirled around, holding the yellow jumper close to her uniform. "I love this! I love this!"

"Take it, then." Seifer smirked, crossing his arms.

_This is just like taking a child to the toy store, and it's YOUR toy store._

"Thank you! Thank you!" Selphie folded her yellow jumper in the table, beside two dozen Triple Triad cards, five expensive books, and three more clothes for her size. She couldn't be more thankful for her life now.

She went back to dig through piles, and beamed when she found a pair of brown boots.

"That one…?" Seifer frowned, noticing the boots. "Your size is the same as Fujin's, then. She wore that one until the soles torn apart."

Selphie inspected the soles. "Oh, it's okay. I still like the style; I'll just sew and glue it."

"Suit yourself, then."

Selphie put the boots in her chosen things area before neatly arranging all others back into the closet. Seifer stood up, stretching.

"That's all? You don't take much."

"These are enough for me!"

"Considering how much you wept for your bag yesterday, I assumed you had a lot of stuff." Seifer walked to the closet and locked the now clean-and-neat rack. "Just leave it and your room key here, I'll ask Rai to carry it to your room later."

Selphie put her SeeD dorm key beside her possession. "How did clothes and boots get confiscated?"

"We often held surprise inspections in the cadets' dorm. What we wondered about was how they ran off without one, and I never managed to see even one of them." Seifer rolled his eyes when Selphie frowned. "I don't feel like defiling that blank head of yours, really…"

"Huh?" Selphie smiled anyway. "Thank you for all this, Captain!"

Seifer nodded. "I have things to do. Now get out of here, there are some real detention coming up on cadets. Oh, and put your stuff over there."

Selphie hurriedly did as she was told, skipping when she left the room.

Now, her problems were solved. She could sell the expensive books and there were people who would pay a lot for the rare Cards.

"Yeah!" She jumped and cheered, planning to call up her mom soon.

Just then, her stomach growled aloud. With red face, Selphie looked around. Thank Hyne no one was there.

_Umm... _She scanned her SeeD watch. _It's almost lunch… I don't have anything since yesterday's ball because I'm chasing Zell… oh, I can ask Zell to treat me!_

"Hmm… but where's Zell…?" It's not as if she glued his spikes with radar or something.

**Your friend is in the library, Little Lady.**

She blinked, totally forgetting that there was another creature inhibiting her brain.

_Oooh… Ifrit!_

**It is great that you recognized who I am, my little one. Now, please hurry to the library. When the one we possessed starving, we have no energy as well.**

_Oops… sorry!_

Selphie ran to the library.

**Little Lady, I am about to passed… please walk, not run.**

Now Selphie walked to the library.

When she entered, Zell was stacking on books and sorting through them. Selphie tiptoed from his back and closed his eyes with her hand. "Guess who!"

"Selphie," guessed Zell. "What's up?"

"Hey…" Selphie pouted. "How do you know?"

"You screech. No one else I know screech."

"I don't screech!" screeched Selphie. "I just… um, well, I don't screech!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Zell waved a book to her. "Want to help me? _'Goodbye Pupurun'_ is somewhere here."

"I'll help you! But…" Selphie tilted her head. "You have to treat me first!"

"Huh? Is it lunch already?" Zell stared down to his obligatory SeeD watch. "Oh, man… I spent five hours here, just sorting out books."

"Five hours for a book?" Selphie frowned and looked around. There were three girls at the reception desk, all looking away when she glanced at them. "How come you get no _'Goodbye Purun'_ then? Maybe it's not here…"

"It's _'Goodbye Pupurun'_, a good book." Zell put back the books he took from the rack. "Okay, let's get some lunch. I know the hot dogs will be delivered tomorrow, so no use for us running there anyway."

Three pair of eyes bore through their back as the couple left. Two librarians turned to their pigtail friends.

"Oh, no…" said one of them. "…She has got to be his girlfriend! I mean how else she could act so kissy-kissy on him and ask him to treat her?"

"Yeah, but…" said another. "I heard that he has no girlfriend! Maybe she's still on the move… you've got to act fast! Get that _'Goodbye Pupuran' _from Raijin soon!"

"It's _'Goodbye Pupurun'_," the pigtail girl said. "Every time I met Raijin, he ran away…"

-x-

-x-

"Okay, what do you want?" Zell put his hand on his hip. "I'll get in the line; they always let me go first."

Selphie was sure it's because no one wanted to be spiked with his hair or punched when they grabbed their—his hot dogs. "I'll have a sandwich and… um…"

**I want a milk tea, please.**

"And milk tea!" She smiled as Zell walked to the queue. "Thanks again, Zell!"

Selphie looked around for a place to sit. She was perplexed when she saw Headmaster Cid seated beside a stern-looking man.

_Okay, Selphie… just walk there and say hi… maybe there's a job for you!_

Since she was the type who was acting first—not thinking—Selphie did exactly as she wanted. She approached their table, waving to Cid.

"Headmaster! I was going to your office this morning, but you're not there." She stopped in front of him and noticed how the stern-looking man glared at her.

_Oh… scary…_

"I'm sorry, Selphie." Cid smiled, his hand motioned to a seat next to him. "What is it you're looking me for?"

"Um… it's not that important now…" Selphie chose to sit next to Cid; a wise move considering the stern-looking man was firing her conspicuous death-glare. This man was a refined version of mixed Seifer and Squall… "Headmaster... Is there a mission for new SeeDs already?"

"Why, yes." Cid smiled as Zell skipped to them with their tray. He fearlessly sat next to the firm-looking man and smiled to him. "There is a new mission, Selphie. The one I've just acquired yesterday. I was thinking about sending Nida, Squall and Seifer on it."

"Oh?"_ Why them?_

**He's not hearing that one, Little Lady. Say it with your mouth now.**

_Oh, yeah, tee-hee…_ "Why them?"

"Well, they are the best SeeD this year. The mission was coming from a friend of Seifer, so it's important for him to go." Cid handed her the sandwich Zell just bought. "But this fine man here was ready to give three more SeeDs a mission, although it could be cancelled anytime. Now I was thinking… Seifer needs to be on this mission as well. If I put Seifer on hold, could you suggest me another friend of yours that you know will eagerly go for a mission?"

_Easy! Me! Me! Me!_

**That is really unfair, isn't it? You know there is someone else wanting the job…**

_Oh, booo…._

"Zell is good." Selphie smiled as Zell looked at her in surprise. "I mean he is really strong! He's also memorizing many things from the library!"

_I just made that one up. I don't know if he's that smart…_

**Actually, he is… made you wonder about the appearance, though…**

"Me?" Zell whispered as Cid and Selphie looked at him. "I'd be glad to!"

"If that's the case, I want Nida too," said the stern-looking man. "You're putting the best SeeD on civilian request while the stand-in on mine? You know how important this one!"

Cid held up his hands. "I don't mean it… I just thought that there is no one else to spare if you took Nida away from this one…"

Selphie looked at Cid with hopeful eyes. _What about me?_

**Say it, Little Lady, say it.**

"What about me?" Selphie piped in. Cid turned to her in surprise. "I'm a SeeD too…"

"Yes," the stern-looking man agreed. "Put her in the civilian request. I'll take Seifer, Quistis and Nida. I've worked with two of them, I know their capabilities."

"Seifer…?" Cid frowned, "I know how important he is in this, but… Won't you consider Squall as Nida's replacement? Having two PCS holder in your team while the other team got none is a bit…"

"I don't want that _squall_," cut the man roughly. "Nida is good. Quistis is better. Seifer is needed. I don't need a green one."

"But your team can be cancelled at moment's notice…"

"I don't care. Give me them, end of discussion." The man stood up, glaring at the headmaster. "We'll talk about this in your office. I don't feel good talking about this in front of kids."

Cid shook his head as the man left the cafeteria. He stretched and stood up as well. "I think the faculty is starting to wonder where I disappear to… well, Zell, Selphie… congratulations, you two just landed yourself a job." He nodded to them before walked away as well.

Selphie bit her lip. What did she just do? Did she just take away Nida's chances? What if the job for them got cancelled?

**But you got yourself a job, Little Lady. You don't have to worry about food now.**

_Yes, but… I'm sorry, Nida…_

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	7. We're on Sale!

**Chapter VII: We're on Sale!**

* * *

_Dear Mr. Cid Kramer_

_With this letter, I would like to resign from my position as an instructor and active SeeD in Balamb Garden. I need a change of environment, and I decided to return to Galbadia Garden, to start over as new active SeeD in my former Garden. Thank you so much for all your benevolence all this time. I wish I could do something to repay…_

Quistis looked up from her letter as the knock on the door took her attention away. She folded the paper before went up to answer the call.

The last thing she ever expected to see was the stern-looking man in front of her dorm.

"So," the man said, walking into her room. "This is what you leave me for? How amusing… if I knew you'll be happy just by four times four meters dorm room, I wouldn't waste that much for your room…"

She was silent, not believing her own eyes. If she let her voice out, she afraid she would squeak.

He sighed, looking around. "Pack your bags, Trey. I got a mission for you. And tell Nida too, we're leaving right now." He turned to look at the dazed instructor. "Anacondaur bites your tongue? Where's your manner?"

She blinked and straightened her back, placing her right fist against her left chest and looking straight ahead, saluting him. "Sir, yes Sir!"

"A year in here and you turned mellow…" He walked out of her dorm. "It's a shame, really…"

Quistis stared at the man's back until he disappeared from the hallway. She shut the door and rested her forehead on it, closing her eyes.

_Hyne… why now…? Am I that lucky, or I'm just out of it…?_

-x—

-x-

"Moooooorning!"

Squall glared at Selphie and Zell. Selphie bounced, creating several high bounces that should not be allowed according to gravitation rules. Zell was holding a big box and grinning at him, ready to say something before Squall shut his dorm door. However, the martial artist was fast to stop him by sliding his foot against the crack.

"Leave me alone," he said, glaring at the sugar duo. "It's six. In the morning."

"I know!" Selphie smiled, her smile shone as bright as the sun peeking through his old blinds. "Isn't this the best hour to start a day? Why are you still here? Let's up! Up and shine, Squall!"

Zell shrugged, although he still grinned. "Yeah, Squall. You always woke up late. It's not good for your body."

"Whatever." Squall stomped on Zell's foot, causing the man to shout in pain. "Eight hours sleep is necessary for any SeeD and absolute necessity for keeping your alertness for the next mission."

"Oooooh!" Selphie pointed at him, turning to Zell. "Here comes the SeeD manual talk! You're right, Zell! He's memorizing it!"

"Well, I've been his roommate for five years, you would've thought I knew him already…" muttered Zell, glaring at Squall. "So, Squall! Got money?"

He frowned, the door stopped halfway. "What?"

"Squall!" Selphie sneered, reaching for the box that Zell held and rummaging through it. "Zell said you made a lot by part-timing in Balamb! So… would you like to buy some things I got for sale?"

"Is this a joke?"

"Nope!" She held up a rare card. "I know you're a good Card player! Here is the first item: Ifrit Card! Actually I don't want to lose it…" She sighed, caressing the Card in a loving manner. "But Ifrit said okay, he's always with me so I don't need his Card… Care to make a deal?" She grinned, waving the Card in front of him.

"That's mine!" Squall shouted, trying to snatch the Card but the girl pulled her Card back and hid it on her back. She shook her head at him.

"Nooo Squall… Not yours, mine. If you want to buy it, it's yours."

"But it's mine!" he yelled. "I got it when I defeated Ifrit in my GF test! Then I put it on my table before I went to—" He turned to Zell who had guilt written all over his face. "You! You took my Card and gave it to her?"

"No…" Zell took a step back, grinning sheepishly. "Not exactly—um, I uh, played with Fujin inside the DC room when I was there for detention, so I thought I'll use that one since its good on number, being strong and all—uh, I lost, so she took it."

"And then Seifer gave it to me!" Selphie waved the card in front of him. "We don't play Cards that much, Squall… do you want it?" She bounced on her brown boots heels. "The starting price is two thousand Gil!"

"Two—" He stared at her in disbelief. "The hell? I'm not paying two thousand Gil for my own GF Card!"

"Too bad…" Selphie pretended to consider her situation. "And Xu just offered me five thousand Gil on it..." She sighed, flicking her fingers in the air. "Okay, then… Zell, let's go! There's a lot more buyer inside this wide, wide Garden!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Zell walked away following Selphie, but Squall fisted his clothes, pulling his ex-roommates back.

"Stop!" he was talking through gritted teeth. "Wait here. Just a minute."

Selphie and Zell looked at each other with sly satisfaction on their faces as their first client went to get his wallet.

"See?" Zell said. "Told you he'll do anything for Cards and gunblade."

Squall reappeared. "I don't have two thousand Gil…" He waved a black-and-white striped sling backpack in front of her. "I bought this for one thousand Gil. You will need this more than Gil on your mission, since you don't have a bag. Or did that conceited crook already gives you a bag?"

Selphie frowned as Squall snatched the card and shoved his sling bag to her. "Boo… barter? That is so not cool…"

Squall shrugged. "Both Card and bag are mine anyway. Now get out." He ambled inside, leaving Selphie pouted holding and inspecting his old sling bag.

As he went to close his door, Zell said to Selphie, "That's his favourite bag, Selph. At least he did trade something worthwhile. Now, let's sell this stupid book! It's the heaviest in this box… who in their right mind would read something like, 'Sorcery's Legend and the Folklore Son of Magic' anyway?"

Squall's eyes widened as he yanked the door wide, running to catch up with Zell and Selphie. "Wait! That man took that from me! And no, I'm not paying for it! Give me _all_ my confiscated things back!"

Selphie shrieked. "Zell! Run! Or we'll lose all our merchandise!" They fled as fast as they could; leaving an enraged brown-haired boy whose first goal of the day was to seize the swindlers.

-x-

-x—

Seifer waved to Quistis when she arrived with Nida at the front gate. The instructor sighed, setting her orange backpack closer to her body. Her resignation letter inside, she's planning to send it to Cid after the mission. She didn't plan to come back to B-Garden.

"Amazing, they did make an instructor work in a mission…" Seifer smirked to her when they reached his standing spot. He turned to Nida. "And you are?"

Nida shrugged. "Name's not important. Where's our boss?"

"He said he's going to do something." Seifer crossed his arms, leaning on the gate railing. "He's the unique one, I'd say…"

The two snorted.

"You've got no idea…" Quistis said.

They turned to the stern-looking man when he strode to them. Nodding to all of them, he said, "Let's go to Rinauld Plains. I've set up a vessel near the beach so we won't have to board the train." That was all, as he left them right after his last words.

"Not even an introduction…?" Seifer said, grabbing his silver backpack that he put on the ground before Quistis arrived. He studied Quistis and Nida who walked side-by-side and stared straight to their client's back.

_They certainly know who the man is…_ "Hey, Trepe!" he called her and waved his hand, asking her to come closer to him. She stopped and waited for him. Seifer pointed to Nida as they left B-Garden. "Your friend…?"

She nodded. "You can say so."

"You know who this client is?"

She peeked at him. "He didn't tell you who he is?"

"Nope. Should he?"

"Yes, if he didn't it means you don't need to know."

"But you and your friend know him."

"We've worked with him before."

"Trepe…" Seifer looked at her, studying her. "You look like shit."

"Wow—" she said, "—that's charming, coming from you."

"I mean it. You're pale. Got no sleep after the party?"

"Nothing you should care about…"

She was tired. She needed sleep. However, every time she thought about seeing Squall again, her heart ached. Not the kind of needing and loving ache. This was sad and breaking ache, the kind you would need to lose as soon as possible before you drowned in angst.

Whoever said one-sided crush wouldn't kill apparently had never been in love.

"Hurry up, Almasy! Quistis!" their client shouted. Nida had entered the sea vessel, half-sized the one they used in Dollet exam.

Seifer shrugged. "Can't wait even for a bit, boss?" he said, rolling his eyes as the man glared at him.

"I don't need your useless chit-chat, Almasy. Get your ass on the seat and shut your mouth." The client waited until all of them were piling up inside the vessel. Then he closed the door and flicked his hand. "Sit anywhere. Quick!"

Quistis scrambled to sit. Seifer frowned before sitting next to her. She didn't even look at him, her body stiff and eyes focused straight to their client. Seifer turned his eyes to Nida, who sat with the same pose.

_What in the—_

"I'll say this just once." The man sat across from him. "This _is_ a secret mission. Nida, Quistis, you already know what I expect from you. You two never failed and I know you _will not_ disappoint me on this. You, Almasy, are another issue." He looked straight into Seifer's eyes. "Can you work with me?"

The trench coated gunblader looked at his client in confusion.

_What should I say? _He just shrugged, but apparently, their client needed no answer.

"Let's divide the jobs here. Nida, Quistis, take your usual job. Almasy—"

"It's Seifer."

"Seifer Almasy, you are the bait." The stern-looking man raised his eyebrow as Seifer scowled. "Is there anything wrong?"

"Whoopee…" Seifer said in sarcasm. "Where's the hook? Do I have to hook myself on it?"

"If you have to," the client said, ignoring his sarcasm. "Your job is to bait our target out. This is important, and you are the only one who can do this. She's only attracted to you."

"She? A woman?" Seifer leaned his head to the vessel wall. "Figures… all women are so into me…"

The client shot the gunblader an odd look, while the other SeeDs rolled their eyes.

The man finally said, "Report to me after you studied the target, Nida. And Quistis… you're the vital ones here. Don't do anything before I order you to. Nida, you don't need GF since you won't fight her. Quistis and Almasy…" He studied Seifer. "You two do not need any GF. I will leave you at the coast; walk one night to Deling City. Next order will be given tomorrow, after you settled in." He stood up and walked to the driver's cabin.

Seifer chuckled. "Heh… I just noticed that one…"

She frowned. "What?"

He smirked. "That we both don't need GF. Kind of makes us the strong ones here."

Nida stuck out his tongue.

Quistis shook her head. "I never thought about it that way. It's practical, though. I never used that much GF as well…"

"Yeah, what use is a GF if you can do it yourself, huh?"

"Yes…" Quistis peeked through a window between them. "This could take a while. We might just get dropped on the Dollet coastal and walk all night before we reach Deling."

"I'll protect ya, Trepe. No fear if you're with me," said Seifer.

"By the way, I guess you don't consider this, Seifer…" whispered Nida. "You do know that she's our team leader in this, don't you?"

Seifer's eyes widened as he stared at the girl.

Quistis smirked at him. "Indeed I am, Seifer. If you have problems with that, you know where the boss is."

"Indeed I am!" Seifer stood up, stomping towards the driver's cabin. _That_ _stupid_ _client! Now I'm her inferior? Hell will freeze before I'm okay with that!_

-x-

-x—

Squall cursed whoever gave Selphie her daily dose of sugar. It was eight in the morning and the girl was pounding his door hard while singing...

"Squaaaaaaaaally! Squally Wally Wally! Up! Up! Up! Up!"

"Where's my stuff!" he yelled, muffled. His head and ears secured under the pillow.

Selphie bounced on her heels before building up a response. "What stuff? If you mean Zell and my merchandise, we're sold off! I'm sorry if you didn't get any items you want! After all, you didn't have enough money so—"

"Whatever. What do you want now?"

"New mission!"

There was silence. Squall was surprised that she came for another reason than mugging him apart.

"Squall!" Selphie pounded the door again. "It's our first SeeD mission! It looks like we're going to Timber. Meet by the front gate! Hurry!"

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	8. Blank Wasn't Always Empty

A/N: Like other gamers, I do believe in several theories about the game I played. The one I practiced in here is that sorceresses had their own unique power. Edea can do human mind-control (The mass cheered on Deling's assassination), Adel can control monsters (tons of them in Lunar Cry and Lunatic Pandora), and Ultimecia cannot spell 'c'. XD Just kidding about the last part.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Blank Wasn't Always Empty**

* * *

"One more minute…."

As the Garden Faculty mumbled, Squall sighed and crossed his arms. He and Selphie had waited in the Front Gate area for half an hour. Right after they arrived, Cid and the faculties showed up. Now, all they have to do was wait for Zell Dincht to show up.

_Why is he always late?_ Squall thought. _He always woke up earlier than me, but he always came in late in class. This morning he and Selphie were just rounding the Garden selling their—MY stuff, right? Zell... are you serious about being a SeeD?_

The long awaited blond flew in with his T-board at the last minute. He leaped to show off and stopped in front of them.

"Made it!" he exclaimed, while others scowled at him.

One of the Garden Faculty stepped forward. "T-Boards are prohibited within Garden. Have you forgotten?"

Zell grinned. "Oops, sorry!" He tilted his head to the T-Board. "But this is really cool. It may come in handy on a SeeD mission, someday."

"We'll be the judges of that." The faculty turned to his colleague. "Confiscate it." Another faculty member walked over, took the t-board, and left. Zell glared. "All of you are members of SeeD, but nevertheless… you're still students at this Garden. Furthermore, because you are SeeDs, you must set an example to all others and abide by the Garden's rules. Understood?"

Zell trembled, holding his anger.

Cid decided to step forward. He looked at them before saying, "Well, about your first mission... You are to go to Timber. There, you will be supporting a resistance faction. That is your mission. A member of the faction will contact you at Timber Station."

The Garden Faculty continued for him, "This person will talk to you and say, 'The forests of Timber sure have changed'. At this time, you must reply, 'But the owls are still around'. That is the password."

"Just follow the faction's orders," said the Headmaster again.

Zell looked around and rubbed his neck. "Uh... Just us three?"

"Correct," said the Garden Faculty. "We have agreed to do this mission for very little money. Normally, we would never accept such requests, but—"

"Enough talk about that." Cid cut his words. "Well then, Squall, you are the squad leader. Use your best judgment based on the situation. Zell and Selphie, you are to support Squall and give your all to carry out the faction's plans."

Selphie swayed left and right as Squall nodded and started checking on their equipment. She wore the yellow jumper, brown old boots and his black sling backpack. She hated the colour with a passion but he was right; she needed a bag to hold her belongings during the mission. In it, she carried all her money (thanks to the big sale off!), one set of Triple Triad Cards and two change sets of clothes.

_This has to be the mission the Headmaster talked about yesterday. _Selphie thought, looking when Squall took one last chance to talk to Cid. He was also sporting a sling backpack with the exact same colour and style as Selphie's but lacking white stripes.

_That means Seifer and others are on mission… or do they? I can't contact anyone who is unrelated to the mission… Does Nida get another job or do I really just snatch away his job?_

Ifrit sighed hearing his holder's thoughts.** Don't think about things that you don't have an answer to for too long. Waste of time.**

_Do you know about their current situation, Ifrit?_

**I do**, Ifrit said, **and right now, he's luckier than you.**

Selphie frowned to herself. _What's that supposed to mean…?_

"Selph," Zell said, tapping on her shoulder and making the girl turn her head to him. "When we get to Balamb, let's go to my house, okay? Ma wants to meet you."

"She does?" Selphie looked at his red backpack, with blue thunder stripes and Quezacotl logo sewn on it. _His bag is so cool_. "What did you tell her about me?"

Zell looked up to the sky and shrugged. "Nothing much, I just said you're a Trabian transfer and you've lost everything before you came here. She said she wants to meet you."

"Let's move on," Squall called them; he already paced by himself, leaving the Garden. His squad soon followed.

"Yo, Squall!" Zell called his ex-roommate when they were on the road to Balamb. "What were you talking about with Cid?"

Their leader showed something he held in his hands, but since he was a few feet ahead, they couldn't see it.

"What? What is it?" Selphie approached him and grabbed his hand, inspecting the item in his hand. "A—lamp. Huh?"

"We have flare sticks and fire magic, right?" Zell looked at the old, beaten up lamp in Squall's hand. "He thinks we need this for night light?"

"He said this will help us." Squall shrugged. "I have no idea about it, but he said we have to prepare before doing something about it."

"Prepare?" Selphie took the lamp and shook it violently. "Is it an automatic bomb?"

"Doubt it," replied their leader.

"Prepare, like… warming your body up?" Zell released his backpack and placed it down. "Okay, everyone! Let's prepare then!"

"What do you achieve by warming your body up?" Squall said, yet also setting his backpack on the ground. Selphie carelessly threw Squall's old backpack down, eliciting a glare from Squall. "Selphie… do something with it."

"Do what?" Selphie threw the lamp into the air and caught it. Nothing. She banged the lamp down to the ground and stomped on it. Nothing. She smacked the lamp repeatedly.

Still nothing.

"Maybe after we sweat and we hold the lamp, our body heat will activate the lamp?" Zell punched the air. "Okay, then… everyone, let's run!"

"You go run by yourself," Squall said. "Selphie… if it's broken, we won't get any benefit out of it."

Selphie stopped beating the lamp.

Zell crouched down and stared at the lamp. After a while, he took the lamp in his hand and shrugged. "Well… we better move on, then." He rubbed the lamp clean of dirt and blew up the dust it collected on the ground before handing it to Squall.

Before Squall had time to hold it, the lamp jumped from Zell's hand and fell to the ground. All three pairs of eyes widened when dark thick mists seeped out from it flying towards them at high speed.

Selphie screamed as her feet rose from the ground. She hit the ground and let out a cry when Squall fell down upon her.

"Sorry," Squall said, rising up and looking around. Zell was lying down to his right.

They were inside the dark mist.

**_Who dares to disturb my sleep!_**

Selphie looked up to find a giant horned man, with dark skin and long set of claws flying atop them. He had no body from waist down, and he looked very, very angry.

**_Who dares to hit me, throw me up and to the ground!_** The horned giant growled with strident, daunting voice. **_Who dares to beat me! I, Diablos, will kill the one who dares to humiliate me!_**

Zell looked to Selphie in panic, and to Squall, who stood in battle stance. Their leader had already unsheathed his gunblade and held it, ready to battle the monster.

Diablos stared down to them, before pointing his long sharp claw to Selphie.

**_Is that you, little one? I'll rip your head from your small body, and I'll feast upon your blood and flesh! Everybody will know they should not dare to fool me!_**

Selphie's eyes grew wide with fear.

"No no! Not her!" Zell pointed at Squall. "It's him! He did all that!" Zell stood up and ran to Selphie. "It's Squall!"

Squall's eyes widened to his accuser and Selphie, who looked relieved.

"Eeeeeh… Yeah!" Selphie stood up and hid behind Zell. "He did it! Not me! Not me! Kill Squally!"

Diablos turned his angry eyes to Squall. **_You! How dare you! I will teach you the meaning of respect!_**

"I'll behead you two after I deal with this one," said Squall, avoiding the furious swing of claws.

Diablos was slow; Squall had an advantage over speed. He managed to stab him twice before the monster threw him away and clawed him. Squall screamed when the sharp claws cut deep into his flesh.

"Ooops…" Zell said. "Better help him, huh?"

"Squally's not strong…" Selphie said.

As if he could hear them, Squall fired his death glare at them. "Do something!" he shouted.

Zell raised his hand up and yelled…

"Scan!"

Squall looked surprised when he fell down to the ground, his back stung from the impact as soon as he rolled his body to the side. Selphie cast Cure on him. Groaning with impatience, he yelled, "Scan? You cast Scan? The hell's wrong with you!"

"I've got to study him before I know what to do with him!" Zell defended himself. As Quezacotl was reading Diablos's status for him, Squall called upon Shiva.

_Shiva… I summon you…._

**-Um… Can I skip this one, Squall?—**

_What?_

**-He and I had some things in the past. I don't feel good about fighting him. Sorry, Squall—**

_But I call you! I summon you!_

**-I know. I skip on it.—**

Squall cursed, staggering backwards when Diablos focused his attack on him. Selphie stayed by his side, handing him a Potion.

"Sorry…" Selphie said. "I thought you were stronger than this…"

Squall scowled, snapping the bottle open and swallowing the liquid in one gulp. Diablos flew over them, making a move towards the beaten-up boy.

Zell stepped forward and shouted: "Draw and cast: Demi!"

The two stared at the monster as Diablos screamed and trembled. Zell looked smug as he once again drew and cast Diablos' own magic, Demi.

"Demi as in Demi magic?" said Selphie with awe. "Whoa… this monster has Demi?"

**_How dare you call me a monster, you pup!_** Diablos recovered from his pain. **_I am the strongest Guardian ever exist! I am Diablos!_**

"Never heard of it," she said in a matter of fact. Diablos looked dreadfully upset at that.

Squall threw the empty vial away, standing up. "It means if we beat you, we have you as our GF." He raised his gunblade again. _Thank you, Headmaster. Maybe next time you can warn us if you're about to give us a GF that is even more stuck-up than Seifer._

Diablos jammed his claws down towards Selphie who wobbled backwards, screaming, "Ifrit! Hell Fire!"

"Look out, Selphie!" Zell shouted.

All at once Ifrit appeared, without the power-waiting load GF usually did. Diablos stared dumbfounded at the fiery GF and the red beast punched his face.

**Hands off my girl, Dio.**

**_I-Ifrit! _**Diablos wiped on him with his claws; Ifrit bent his body back, avoided the shallow attack and pummelled him once more. **_How—how can you hit me? You're supposed to cast your magic and disappear!_**

**I have a perfect host**, the other GF said, leering.

Diablos shot his gaze down to Selphie, who sat on the ground and looked at the conversation with wide eyes. Squall and Zell stood their ground, watching the banter with their mouth agape.

**_Perfect host? This tiny little pup? _**Diablos screamed as Zell, who realized things turned their way, drew and cast Demi once more. **_Stop it! I'll kill you!_**

"Try it if you can!" Zell said. "Squall! Now!"

Squall lifted his gunblade and ran towards Diablos. With the pain jolting through his body, he shouted, "Renzokuken!"

Ifrit smirked when Squall unleashed his Limit Break on Diablos. As soon as the gunblader finished and fell down catching his breath, Ifrit flew up to the sky, and in his place a giant ball of fiery rock flew down and stomped Diablos against the ground.

**There's my Hell Fire. Satisfied?**

Ifrit went back to Selphie's brain, leaving Diablos shrieking below the fiery ball. Slowly, the giant fireball faded into nothing. The purple GF was lying down on his own misted ground, beaten up and tired.

**_No energy… Too much sleep. _**He shut his eyes. **_Very well, I'll join you..._**

The three SeeDs looked at each other with thrilled expressions on their face. Selphie stood up when the misted realm faded taking the SeeDs back on the grassy road.

Squall held his transfer stone in his hand, allowing Diablos to enter the crystal. When he placed the crystal against his head, the stone spoke…

**_No! I will NOT stay in the same place as Shiva and the one who humiliated me!_**

Squall stopped his action and scowled to the stone. Zell grinned and snatched the stone. He put the stone in his forehead, "Me okay?"

**_No! I will NOT stay in the mind of a person who ABUSES me with my own magic!_**

"Whaat?" Zell yelled to the stone, "Shut up! You're our GF now!"

**_I am the perfect GF_**, replied Diablos smugly. **_I will only reside in a perfect host!_**

The two boys looked at Selphie, who looked like she was cursed with eternal bounce.

"Me! Me! He's mine!" She snatched the stone and placed it on her forehead before the others had the chance to stop her. Diablos entered her mind as soon as the crystal touched her skin.

…**_This place is good. Blank, not much memories…_**

**Shut up, Dio.** Ifrit sounded upset.** Just stay in your spot and don't bother me.**

**_Hah! From now on, she will use me more than you! Because I am the perfect—_**

**Doubt it. Shut up.**

Squall and Zell bombarded Selphie with their angry glares. Leering, she grabbed her backpack and fled towards Balamb on her own.

Zell sighed, sporting his bag. "What is that GF said about a perfect host anyway?"

"I never knew they really exist," Squall said, his brain was memorizing the pages of 'Sorceress Legend and the Folklore Son of Magic'. "There are people whose mind are so blank, GFs had the whole area for themselves and therefore capable of utilizing their maximum power."

Zell rolled his eyes. "You mean he chose her because she's blank? Somehow I feel better after knowing that…"

-x—

-x—

Seifer was the last to walk out of the vessel. Without any last word, their client shut the door and ordered the driver to leave.

The three SeeDs stared at the fleeing vessel before decided to scan the area.

"He really left us in a beach…" Nida said, trying to look for any traces of town nearby. "I think this is the area between Timber and Dollet."

"Hm…" Quistis took out her compass. "Yeah, it is. Deling is far west."

"How far west are we talking about?" Seifer couldn't help but sighing. They had to walk far and waste their energy even before they went into the main mission.

"Far as in…" She checked her map and compared it with her watch. "Twenty hours walk."

Seifer smacked his forehead.

"Might as well start now," Nida said, checking his blue backpack and noting every needed item. "I have a tent if we really need to crash in. Vial, enough. PCS is there. Oh yeah, Seifer." He handed a PCS mono chip to him. "In case you decided to run by yourself."

The gunblader glared at him, but accepted the chip anyway.

"Let's go," Quistis said pointing to the west. "It's a flat area by the way, no hiking needed. If we are hurry we might make it before dusk."

"We should be running as if a Marlboro is chasing us in order to do that." Seifer pinned the chip on the collar of his coat and smirked when he saw two Wendigos crawled closer to them. "At least this journey won't be that boring."

-x—

-x—

"Ma, I'm home!"

Ma Dincht turned around, smiling as Zell and his two friends entered the kitchen. She opened up her arms wide and collected Zell and Squall into her embrace.

"How are you, Ma'am?" Squall inhaled his halted breath after she released them from her strong bear hug.

Ma Dincht smiled. "As usual, cooking hot dogs and waiting for my son to visit me. Ah, this is Selphie, right?" She marched to Selphie and collected her in a bear hug as well. "Hello, sweetie." Selphie's eyes widened as she experienced her first Ma-Dincht-bear-hug and struggled to breathe.

Zell tapped his mother's shoulders. "Ma, she's not as big as me and Squall. You'll kill her." Zell looked at her mothers who caressed Selphie's cheek in loving ways. "Oh boy, here we go again…"

"Poor girl…" Ma Dincht said. "You lost everything… in your age…" She shook her head when Selphie tried to speak. "No, don't say it's okay. I know how hard it is. It's good that you have my son…" She patted Zell's back. "Does my son treat you well? Does he help you anyway he can? Because if he doesn't, I will…"

"Zell is very nice to me, Ma'am!" Selphie said smiling to Zell whose face grew red. Ma Dincht beamed at her son.

"Of course he will. And don't call me Ma'am. I'm your Ma now. After all, you will soon become my daughter-in-"

"Ma!" Zell shouted. "What are you talking about?"

Ma Dincht set up an innocent look. "What? It's true, right? You two will get mar—"

"AAAAAahahah!" Zell laughed, cutting his mother's speech. "Oh yeah, we're almost late for the train! Selphie, can you buy us the tickets?" He drew his wallet and handed her the money. "Three SeeD tickets to Timber! Hurry!"

Selphie nodded, accepted the money and sprinted away from the kitchen, leaving the house.

Squall drew a chair from the dinner table and sat on it. "Might as well say it to the world, Zell."

Zell glared at his ex-roommate. "What? Shut up!"

"Zell," Ma Dincht said, reached into the kitchen cabinet and took out a small box. "Here."

Zell frowned, opening up the box. He stammered when he realized what was inside. "Ma!"

"What?" Ma Dincht took a seat next to Squall who ignored them. "Give it to her. You two are SeeDs; your life expectancies are low. Give me my grandchild soon, so I won't be lonely…" She rested her chin on her palm, studying her blushing son.

"Uuuhh…" Zell closed the box and put it in his backpack. He turned to Squall who raised his eyebrow at his action. "Don't—say anything, Squall."

Squall shrugged and looked away.

"Squall!" Selphie barged in, panting. "I need your help!" She pulled him from his seat, dragging him out of the house. "Nice to meet you, Ma! Sorry, we have to hurry! Bye!"

"Eh? What?" Zell took their belongings and quickly followed them. "Bye Ma!"

"Don't drag me," Squall said, pulling his arm away from Selphie. "What is it?"

"I need your help," Selphie said. "The Queen said she wants someone good at Card to beat her."

"Queen?"

"Queen of Cards!" Selphie ignored Squall's scowl. She grabbed his hand and dragged the gunblader towards the station. She stopped in front of the stairs heading up into the station, waving to a woman who stood nearby. "Queen! I brought him for you!"

The Queen of Cards stared at Squall before raising her chin. "I see. You will fight me in a game of Cards."

"What?" Squall turned towards Selphie, who was nodding like a ball joint doll to the woman.

"Yes he is! He's good at it!" she said. Squall turned his head to the woman and back to Selphie.

"I don't understand," he finally said. "What is this?"

"Ah, of course." The woman gaited towards him. "Where are my manners? What is your name, young man?"

"Squall Leonhart."

"Nice name." She raised her chin in a supercilious façade. "I am Solange Triad. My father is the owner of Triple Triad Card Company, and I travel the world in order to execute and change the rules of Cards. Every time I lost with someone in that area, I will travel to another place and change the rules on that one, until another good player win against me." She sighed and shook her head. "However, in this dull place I have no one who could win against me. I've been trapped here since two weeks ago, and I feel very bored. Now, if you can beat me—"

"You will travel to another place and change the rules of Cards in there," Squall said. _This is interesting. Therefore, wherever she goes, the Card rules will change. I can win in places I've lost before due to the abnormal rules._

"Yes. I see you are very smart." The Card Queen drew out her set of Cards. "Just note that I want you to be my servant if you lost. Selphie here is one of mine," she said, choosing her cards while Squall glared at Selphie.

"Why don't you just go if there is no one who could beat you?" Squall asked as he drew out his own card from the backpack Zell carried.

"It's the rules my father made." She showed her cards. "Now, the rules for this game are _Open_ and _Same_."

Squall looked at her Cards, and frowned when he saw a card of a young man in a brown Chocoboy hat and light brown duster smiling. He was young, with an auburn hair and violet eyes. Very charming, but— "Who is this? I never saw a card like this."

"This is called Character Card. Some people requested their relatives' cards from my father or me. We made only one of it so this is priceless. You will never find a card with his picture anywhere else." She caressed the card in loving ways. "And I do not wish to lose it."

"Someone asked to make his Card?" Squall studied the card. The number was high and the image looked defined with high quality resolution. "He must be someone very important."

Solange chuckled. "No, he's just a boy. I made it for myself. I have one more Character Card, but that one is too important to lose. Now, show me yours."

Squall spread his five cards and fidgeted when Solange inspected Ifrit Cards with interest. "…Ready?"

"When you are."

-x—

-x—

"I can't believe this!" Seifer said, crouching down before tumbling against his backpack. "How much monsters breed here?"

Nida panted, burying his face in his hands and sinking down to the ground. "Agh, it's tiring!"

Quistis, who had just strangled the last one they fought, shrugged to them. "Let's go, we don't have much time for rants."

"Easy for you to say!" Seifer pointed to his Captain with accusing manner. "They won't fight you! Even when you strangled and whipped them, the one they bite was me!"

"You deserve it," Nida said, standing straight when the gunblader narrowed his eyes at him. "So, let's go, shall we?"

"Hey, monsters!" Seifer yelled into the air. "Is this the day when you every monster in this area decide to bite me? Why don't any of you bite _her_? My arrogant bitchy Captain?"

Quistis kicked the cap of his knee and turned around, leaving the gunblader shrieking in the pain caused by her hard boot. "Monster never attacked me head-on, Seifer. It's among the abilities I have with my Blue Magic, just like the Magic Upgrade you have."

"You kicked me!"

"You deserve it," said Nida again, hurriedly walking side by side to Quistis and leaving Seifer cursing his luck.

When he finally joined them again, five Screws soon attacked them. Seifer yelled as the monsters, once again, decided to make him their main target.

-x—

-x—

"Please don't." Squall had never begged in his entire life, but he had no adverse against it when Solange cruelly chose his Ifrit Card. "I just own it again… please don't take that one."

"But you lost," Solange said, fanning herself with the card she just won. "You acted like you're going to win, but in the end you still lost."

"But I can't lose that one!" Squall spread his card. "We should have a rematch!"

"With what card? With these… common cards?" She waved to the cards he spread on the station floor. "Why would I? You'd just lose again."

Squall put his head between his hands as Selphie and Zell looked at each other with concern.

Zell crouched down and whispered, "Squall, Ma has my Character Cards. If you get my Card, we can beat her and get Ifrit back."

Squall snapped his head to the direction of Ma's house and in one swoop collected his cards. He stood up and dashed towards Zell's home, leaving them.

"Why don't you just say that I have Diablos Card?" Selphie said.

"He'll take it from you." Zell shrugged. "Anyway, Ma has my cards for way too long now, she showed it to everyone she met. It's embarrassing."

Solange waved to Selphie. "Hey servant, massage me."

Five minutes later, Squall returned with a relieved expression on his face. He showed Zell's Card to Solange. "Can I have a rematch with this?"

Solange studied the Card and Zell, chuckling. "Why, yes. It's rare for me to see the card and the person in the same place. Now, the rules are _Close_,_ Plus _and _Same_."

"What?" Squall shook his head. "You just saw my Card. How can I fight you fairly if I never see yours? This _Close_ rule is unfair."

"I made the rules." Solange pointed to his previous Card game spot. "Sit and let us have a rematch."

Squall gritted his teeth and sat down.

Ten minutes later, Selphie and Zell cheered.

-x—

-x—

Selphie skipped in, swaying her body while looking around. "This train is awesome."

"An intercontinental railroad, baby!" Zell said, trailing behind. "It runs through an underwater tunnel to get to Timber. Isn't that cool, Squall?"

"Sure is..." Squall walked over to the monitor on the wall and used the ticket. "Ok, we can go inside now."

"Tee-hee! Thanks!" Selphie said, running into the SeeD cabin.

"Yo, check it out," Zell called Squall once he went in. "So this is SeeD's private cabin. Awesome!" Squall walked in to find Zell bouncing on the couch. "Heh-heh. This is so cool." Zell tried his double flip on the sofa.

Squall rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you're excited."

"They even have magazines here." Zell handed Pet Pals Magazine to him. "This is pretty amazing. It pays to be a member of SeeD." He grinned. "Squall, know anything about Timber?"

"I don't care."

"Don't be like that. I want to tell you."

Squall was going to hear it sooner or later anyway. "All right."

"Thought so. Well, let me fill you in." Zell began his speech, which of course he'd read from their history book. "Timber used to be a country surrounded by deep forests. Eighteen years ago, Galbadia invaded. Timber fell quite easily to Galbadia. Now Timber is under Galbadian occupation. It's said there's a whole bunch of resistance factions, big and small."

_I know that already. _"And?"

"Nope, that's it."

Squall put his hand on his hip, sighing. "...Thank you, Mr. Know-It-All-Zell."

Zell grinned, not realizing the sarcasm. "No problem," he replied, causing Squall to roll his eyes at him.

At that moment, Selphie walked in. Her eyes downwards and half-shut. She walked to them with half-drunk pace. "I'm not—feeling well—really sleepy..."

Squall frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Hey—" Zell held his head. "What the—something's wrong with me, too—I—feel—sleepy…" Zell fell back in his seat, eyes shut as Selphie fell against the couch.

Squall stared his squad in confusion.

_What's going on?_ He clutched his head when he, too, began to feel it. "Ugh—what is—"

…

-x—

_(…Hmm)_

Off in the jungle, three men dressed in Galbadian soldier uniforms were running. One of them was tall and dark skinned. His long hair secured in braids swaying behind his back as he trailed the man in front of him. The other was a big man with a giant harpoon strapped on his back. The last one, who seemed to be their leader and ran in front of the two men, had a long black hair and medium height.

_(What the—)_

"Laguna, are you sure this is the right way?" the tall, dark-skinned man said.

_(Where am I?)_

The large man with a harpoon muttered, "Hoo-boy, not again." He sighed. "Laguna, aren't we here to fight a war? You know, against the almighty Timber army?"

"Yeah, so why are we wasting our time here?" said the tall man.

The leader, apparently the one they called Laguna, stopped and turned towards them before grinning. "Well, you see Kiros—it's just that…"

Kiros cast his eyes up to the sky. "Don't tell me we're lost again."

Laguna shrugged. "Anyway... I'm taking us home."

The giant man stammered. "W-Wait. Laguna?"

Their leader sprinted ahead and barged into the truck nearby. The dark-skinned man and the giant axe man shot each other an exasperated look before deciding to give up. With a sigh and a mutter, they entered the truck.

It drove out of the Timber forest. Laguna directed the ride and entered a large city, where he blatantly parked in the middle of the street.

"You can't park in the middle of the street," the giant axe man said.

"Chill Ward, it's cool." Laguna waved his hand. "Alright, how about a drink, guys?"

"Yeah, just drink some juice like a weenie." Ward rolled his eyes. "And then gawk at the piano lady."

"Don't call her the piano lady," Laguna said. "That's it, forget it. I'm not going."

"We know you will..."

Despite what he said, Laguna made his way into a big building with bright shining lights and a big sign on top of the entrance, 'Galbadia Hotel'. The group entered, and with familiarity, made their way into a bar located behind the receptionist desk.

A waiter came to them. "Welcome. Your usual table is ready."

_(Huh? Excuse me?)_

"Huh? Excuse me?" Laguna shook his head, confused. "What?"

His friends looked at him. "What's wrong?" Kiros said.

"I... I don't know." He scratched his head as they walked to their table.

_(Is this a dream...?)_

_(Laguna's pretty cute!)_

_(What's happening to me?)_

They all sat down.

"We're going' all out tonight, right boys?" Laguna said, waving to the waitress. "The usual!"

"Me, too," said Kiros.

Ward nodded. "Keep them coming!"

After the waitress left, a girl in a red dress appeared and took her seat at the piano. Kiros nudged his friend, who pretended he did not see her.

"So, Laguna... You're going for it tonight?" Ward said.

Kiros nudged Laguna again. "Yeah, go for it!"

"What-ever, man!" Laguna rested his elbow on the table. "Can't you see she's working?"

"Don't go back on your word," accused Kiros, whispering, "C'mon, go wave to her."

"Give me a break..."

Ward leaned back to his seat. "So you say, but we know you'll do it."

Laguna took a deep breath before standing up, approaching the piano where the girl played. He looked at her and smiled. _To be this close to Julia…_

_(Is this guy serious...?)_

Laguna looked down with alarmed expression when he felt it coming.

_Uh-oh... My leg's cramping up—Argh!_

_(Sad...)_

Laguna limped back to the table after he gave a pitiful wave to Julia.

Kiros laughed. "Good work, Laguna."

Ward joined in the laughs. "Mission successful, somehow."

Kiros patted the seat next to him. "Here, have a seat."

Ward moved his head closer to his friend. "I didn't think you'd actually do it. Our popularity rating's gone up a point."

"Yeah, but you cut a pretty pitiful figure up there." Kiros leered. "I'd say you're about minus three on the manliness scale."

"Say what you want." Laguna scowled. _Sigh... _"Julia sure is pretty."

Ward and Kiros blinked when they saw a figure standing behind Laguna. Then, Wards nudged Kiros and said to their oblivious friend, "Laguna, we're going now."

Laguna looked up when his friends left him. "H-Hey? What's the rush?"

Ward grinned. "It's on us tonight. Relax and stay awhile, Laguna."

Laguna stood up, confused.

"May I?"

Laguna froze. He glanced to his back. Julia was there.

"Aaaaa..." He scooted, rushing to give her a seat.

Julia smiled, sitting on the empty seat. "Did I interrupt anything?"

"N-N-N-Not at all. P-Please, s-sit down." _Oh man, oh man, it's really HER! What do I do! Kiros? Ward? HELP! What do I say? Man, she's pretty..._

_(What's this guy thinking?)_

Julia pointed to his knee under the table. "Are you all right? How is your leg?"

"L-Leg? Oh, this? Y-Yeah, it's fine. Happens all the time when I get nervous." He coughed when he realized what he was saying.

She smiled. "Were you nervous?"

The soldier cast his eyes down. "Oh, yeah. I'm still kind of—"

"You can relax; no need to be nervous around me."

"Sorry."

"Say—" She moved closer, whispering, "—would you like to talk somewhere private? I have a room here."

The G-soldier bolted upright hearing that. "I-In your room?"

"Well..." She motioned towards the other tables. "It's pretty hard to talk freely here. Everyone's listening in."

Laguna looked around. Everyone, including Ward and Kiros who were standing near the two's table, was picking up every word.

"If you'd like to, please come by. I want to talk to you. You don't want to?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then I'll go ahead and wait for you. Ask for my room at the front desk, ok?"

Laguna still looked at her in dreamy expression when she left. _Am I dreaming?_

_(...This is a dream...This is a dream...)_

Laguna shook his head and steeled himself, _No this can't be a dream!_

_(This is too weird to be a dream...)_

Laguna grinned to himself. _Julia wants to talk to me...?_

_(...He talks to himself too much...)_

Laguna sneered. _Just the two of us! Get it together Laguna._

_(Whatever.)_

Laguna sighed as he went to the receptionist booth. _I always screw up by talking about myself too much. It's always been like that. Not tonight! I'm all ears for Julia! Ahh, time to use my manly charm, and help Julia with her problem._

The receptionist noticed the fidgeting Galbadian soldier. "Welcome! Checking in?"

"Whi-Whi-Which..."

_(Is he really going?)_

The receptionist nodded in understanding. " Mr. Laguna Loire, right? I've been expecting you. Let me show you to Miss Julia's room." He exited the booth and walked to the second floor, showing him her room. After rapping on the door, the receptionist left.

Laguna still looked dumbfounded when Julia opened the door.

"Thanks for coming."

"No—Not at all, uh... Thank you for inviting me."

"Come in. Have a seat." She walked in and sat on a chair, studying the soldier. He walked to choose a seat around the room and in his nervous state didn't find any comfortable seat. It looked like he was going to bolt. "Going so soon? We haven't even talked yet."

"No, it's not that." He waved his hand. "It's just that I'm a big fan of yours, so I'm really kind of nervous, y'know?"

"So that's why you come to hear me play so often."

His eyes widened. "You... You saw me?" He started pacing around the room.

Julia leaned back in her seat. "You have beautiful eyes, although they look a bit scared now. Don't worry, I'm not going to pluck 'em and eat 'em. I just want to talk, gazing into those eyes." She smiled to him. "Would you like a drink? Wine perhaps?"

"I must be dreaming'..."

-x-

Fifteen minutes later, Laguna laughed and waved his hand dramatically around, bouncing on the bed as he did so. "Yeah, I don't like fighting' too much, but you get to travel, y'know? Seeing new places n' stuff. It's fun, 'cause Kiros and Ward are always with me. Hey, we should all go out drinking' sometime! Whaddya say? And, uh... What was I talking' bout? Oh yeah, so I want to quit the army and become a journalist! So I can tell people 'bout all the things I've seen on my travels."

_(He's already loosened up...)_

"So, like, the other day, one of my articles made the reader's column. Pretty cool, huh? Yeah, that was way cool..."

Julia heard him, on his every sentence, gazing into his eyes. "I'm happy for you."

"Oh yeah, and then..."

He continued to brag…

-x-

Half an hour later, Laguna woke up and found himself on one of Julia's beds. He sat up and looked at her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know wine made you sleepy." Julia chuckled. "You look adorable when you're asleep."

"Argh..." He clutched his head. "How'd I fall asleep? I...I must have fallen asleep, talking on like that..." He sighed. "Sorry, I was here to listen to your problems. Um, tell me about yourself. Like—your dreams for the future."

She took a deep breath before casting her eyes up to the ceiling. "I want to sing. Not just playing the piano, but singing, too."

"Oh, I'd love to hear it."

"But I can't. I'm no good at writing lyrics." Julia turned her eyes to him. "But, thanks to you, I think I can come up with something."

"Thanks to me...?"

"Yes... The many faces you've shown me. Times when you were hurt, worried. Or felt pain deep inside you. Your smile, your face, your eyes. You've shown me something. I think I can come up with a song."

"Wow..." Laguna looked down. "I must be dreaming..."

As she took his hand in hers, he looked at her in a daze. "It's not a dream, is it?"

That was when someone knocked on her door. "Laguna! New orders! Meet by the Presidential Residence, on the double!"

They looked at each other.

"Can we meet again?" she whispered.

"Of course!" He smiled. "I have to come to hear you sing!"

-x—

**-Next stop, Timber…Next stop, Timber...-**

Squall opened his eyes when the sound of announcement faded away. He picked himself up, looking to Zell who was sitting on the chair and Selphie who was standing nearby.

He frowned. "Were we...all asleep?"

His ex-roommate nodded. "Maybe someone released some sleeping gas? There are lots of people who resent SeeD."

Squall scanned his surroundings. _Maybe. Better be careful._

Selphie tilted her head to them. "Am I missing anything? Anyone hurt?" She smiled when they shook their head. "What a relief! Everything's cool with me! Hee! I had such a nice dream!"

Squall rolled his eyes. _I had a dream, too. It wasn't nice though... I dreamt I was a moron..._

**-We will be arriving in Timber shortly. For those getting off, please be sure to have all your belongings...-**

Squall and Zell were studying each other's face before shrugging and collecting their belongings.

Selphie bounced. "But seriously, Sir Laguna was so cool!"

Zell stopped his actions and turned towards her. "Hey! There was a Laguna in my dream, too! He's a Galbadian soldier, right?"

"Laguna, Kiros, and Ward..." Squall muttered.

Zell looked at him in surprise. "Huh? That's it!"

"That's what?"

Selphie rubbed her head, trying to think but came up with nothing. "There's no way we can understand this."

Squall watched the girl when she grabbed her bag. _I guess you're right._ "We'll put this incident on hold. I'll report it to the headmaster once we get back to Garden."

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	9. When Wire Went Haywire!

For my older-site reviewers, please go to review page chapter 9 to see the explanation for old stories.

A/N: Some of you who already went rock climbing or mountaineering would understand what belay systems are. But there are some who don't. So, before you read this chapter, I want to suggest to you for Google search. Look for images of: screw gate Karabiner, wire Karabiner, Grigri descender, harness and tubular webbing. Because what I'm about to babbling on won't get into your imagination if you don't even know what they look like. Once you get the picture of those tools, you'll understand why the whole things gone…

Okay, if you don't want to go look for it, (or you do and you learn something new ;)) just read on.

Ready? Here we go…

* * *

**Chapter IX: When Wire Went Haywire!**

* * *

Selphie was the one who walked out first. When she was descending the stair to the Timber Station, a man who stood nearby and watched them shouted...

"Oh, the forests of Timber sure have changed!"

Selphie looked at the man who waited for a response. She tilted her head. "…Really? I've never been here so I don't know about that…"

"Huh?" The man looked as confused as she did. He turned his head to Squall and Zell, and shouted once again, "Oh, the forests of Timber sure have changed!"

"Oh, yeah! I know this!" Zell responded, "But the Chocobos are still here!"

Squall turned his head to Zell, wondering if he was the only sane one out here.

The man shook his head. "What are you talking about, Sir? In the forest there are Ow... Nothing, yeah, it's nothing, Sir."

The man ran away from them and stopped near the railroad tracks, beckoning the train on. "OK, keep comin', keep comin'…." The train screeched to a halt a foot from the man as he fell to the ground. "Ahhhhhh! Look outtttt!"

Just then, a man darted out from the train, yelling, "What are you DOING? How many times do I have to tell ya not to stand in front of the train? Hah!" He turned to the three SeeDs and whispered to the man on the ground.

After what seemed to be a lengthy debate, the defeated man bowed his head to Squall from his sitting position. "Welcome to Timber, Sir. Please follow me, Sir."

Squall looked at them. "…." He sighed and put his palm on his face.

Selphie grinned to the man. "Hehee... we're kidding, sorry…"

Zell shrugged. "Yeah, so the Owl is still here. So what?"

The guy kicked his friends, who still sat on the ground. "Don't be so rude! C'mon, get up! Please excuse us... Come on, this way."

The man whined, "Aaaaahhhh, Sir... Give me a break..."

Squall and his comrade walked to the train the man was calling before. Once inside, the guy who was escorting them said to a person standing by, "Yo, let's take off." The train took off, leaving a man sitting on the ground. He yelled aloud and ran after it.

"Hey...!" Don't leave me, Sirrr!"

-x—

"So, you guys are SeeDs?" the man said. "You're just the same age as us…"

Squall nodded and pointed to his subordinates. "I'm the squad leader, Squall. This is Zell, and that's Selphie."

"Nice to meet you. Name's Zone, I'm the leader of the Forest Owls." He offered his hand for Squall to shake, but the gunblader ignored it. Scowling, Zone shook Selphie's hand but ignored Zell's. Zell pouted. Squall looked around. He didn't want to commit a meaningless conversation.

"So, let's get on with it. What do we do?"

"Just take it easy. You already met Watts…" Zone pointed to the man who picked them up at the station. "I guess it's just our princess then."

Selphie thought, _Whoa! They have a princess here? I thought Timber is Galbadia's?_

**_Timber is Galbadia's? _**replied Diablos, confused. **_Doesn't Timber have the mighty army of Dollet Kingdom? They have a war against Esthar and Adel, right? _**

**You slept too long… **Ifrit said. **That was the past, long ago before these kids were born. Now Timber and Dollet both became Galbadia's.**

Selphie stood near the wall, waiting for Squall who went to wake the princess up.

**_That sucks. I remember my last holder. He's a Dollet royal. He became a soldier for his country…_** Diablos sighed, reminiscing the past. **_Then he fell in love with that cursed woman. That's why they shunned him… I still remember it like yesterday… _**

**Stop, **Ifrit sounded uneasy. **Stop, don't say it now. **

_Why not? I want to know! _Selphie piped in. _It sounds interesting! What did he look like, Diablos?_

**_Aaah, yes… _**Diablos was happy to hear this. **_He was brave. Foolish, arrogant, but kind-hearted… he had many girlfriends. He had a blonde hair and smirked like a-_**

**Dio, do you want me to banish you here and now? **Ifrit snapped. **When I said stop, it means stop. No wonder they trapped you and your big mouth inside the lamp. Now stop.**

**_Tch… _**Diablos grew quiet.

_Why can't he say what he wants to say, Ifrit? I want to hear it._

**It doesn't have anything to do with you and your friends, my little one.**

_But…_

**Well, here they are.**

Selphie turned to Squall and the black-haired girl when they entered the cabin. Zell frowned when he recognized the girl.

"Hey..." He pointed to her. "You're the—"

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you again. My name is Rinoa." She waved to everyone. "And this is Angelo!" She moved aside, revealing a large-sized dog behind her.

"Oh!" Selphie dashed to Angelo, crouched down and squeezed the dog. Angelo, being used to rough attention, licked her face. "Hello! Hello! You're so cute! You're so cuuuuute! Wee, I love dogs!"

"We all can see it." Squall turned to Rinoa. "What's our mission?"

"Right." Rinoa motioned into a room on her left. "Come on in, everyone. Let's start." Everyone entered the room, leaving Selphie and Angelo behind.

Five seconds later, Zell walked out.

"Come on, Selph." He hauled the enthralled girl into the room, along with the dog she refused to let go.

Zone watched the SeeDs when they entered. "Just stand anywhere you want. This is a full-scale operation." He stood straight, his face full with pride. "Our resistance, 'The Forest Owls', will be forever known in the pages of Timber's independence. Exciting, huh?" He grinned. "It all started when we got a hold of top-secret info from Galbadia. There's a VIP from Galbadia coming to Timber."

"Super V-I-P!" Watts exclaimed.

"The guy's name is Vinzer Deling. Our archenemy, the President of Galbadia."

"Vinzer Deling is a scoundrel," Watts said. "He's a dictator, not a president. Not even popular in Galbadia, Sir."

Rinoa nodded. "President Deling is taking a private train from the Galbadian capital."

The Timber Owl leader continued, "Our plan is to—"

Selphie stood up. "Blow it to smithereens with a rocket launcher?"

"Ahh...not quite—"

"So get to the point." Zell threw up his hands in the air. "Just tell us what to do."

Rinoa shrugged, noting the SeeDs impatience. "Shall we begin?"

-x—

Squall ogled the train model in the centre of the room, once again replaying the orders of what they had to do. Rinoa clasped her hands on her back and gawked at him.

"Anything you want to ask?" She waited.

"Basically…" Squall said. "I get the point."

"Basically…?"

_The point is clear. _Squall frowned. _But—how can a president give himself away this easily as a kidnapping target? This comes too easy for me… Plus there are no adults on this train. _

"So." Rinoa turned to Zell and Selphie who were playing with her dog. "How about you two? Anything you don't understand?"

"None!" Selphie caressed Angelo's silky fur. "We just have to jump on two cars, uncouple first escort car, waiting until the dummy car went in, uncouple second escort car and escape with our target, right? Should be done in five minutes and watch out for sensors and guards!"

Rinoa and Squall stared at the girl

_Apparently she has a brain…_ he thought.

Rinoa sighed. _All my explanation can be simplified in two sentences? Why was I explaining repeatedly then?_

Zone turned his head to Squall. "We still have to prepare the belay devices for you. Wait here just a bit, okay?" He and Watts walked out, leaving the SeeDs with Rinoa.

Squall kept his eyes on Angelo before he remembered something. Rinoa watched as the SeeD Captain pulled out a magazine from his backpack and offered it to her.

"Here… Pet Pals. You need this for her, right?" Squall tilted his head to Angelo.

Rinoa beamed and accepted the first volume of Pet Pals. "Yeah. Thank you, Squall! I collect this magazine."

"I know. I saw the second volume on your bed."

"Hmm…" She swayed and smiled. "So Mister SeeD was not only good at dancing, but also a good analyzer?"

"Whatever."

Zone walked in with a set of belay devices. He showed it to Squall. "Sorry, we don't have any harness. Webbing's okay, right?"

Squall accepted the roll of webbing as the train started moving towards their planned trail. He checked on the belay devices that they had provided for him. Rope, four Karabiners, and grigri.

"…That's it? Where is the automatic puller and why is the Karabiner a wire? Why not screw gate?"

Rinoa gaped. "What's that? The junk shop said these items are a basic belaying system?"

"Yes, but—" Squall picked one wire Karabiner and lifted it. "This is a very dangerous set. I need at least one screw gate Karabiner to set on between my web-harness and rope. Without an automatic system, you won't be able to pull me up."

Zell, too, studied the tools before he shook his head. "This won't do… This is below average. It might kill him or the belayer." He looked at Zone. "Let's get back to Timber. I'll go to the store and pick what's needed for safety system."

"We don't have time!" Rinoa shook her head. "The junk shop manager said these will do. And we'll reach the point in ten minutes. There won't be other chances like this!"

Squall and Zell stared at each other, then down to the belay tools. Selphie released her hold on Angelo and walked to them. Once she saw the tools, she realized what the problem was.

"Rinoa," she said. "You can't set a safe system with wire Karabiner. First, it may not be strong enough to hold Squall. Second, you can't lock it. If it snaps open during the belay, it will kill him. Plus you can't pull Squall up without automatic puller, you're smaller than him."

"I'll do it." Zell sighed, grabbing the rope and making sure the rope is strong enough. "I'll be the belayer. Give me webbing."

"I'll be the back-up." Selphie turned her head to Zone and Watts. "Got spare webbing?"

"What's wrong with me?" Rinoa said, disturbed by how fast Zell and Selphie became serious about the matter. "It's my mission, remember?"

"It's _our _mission. You're our client." Squall glared at the innocent wire Karabiner. "I'm not letting a civilian belays me in this."

-x—

"Squall, over here!"

Rinoa waved to them, waiting for the crew to jump off the gap to the first escort car. When they approached, she pointed down, to a small hatch on the train's outer wall. "This is the first escort. We're going to uncouple this first. Like Watts said, there should be two guards on this car. Selphie and I will keep an eye on the guards. We'll tell you if we see them coming."

Zell fastened the rope before turning his attention to Squall, who was ready to descend with a grigri. "…Ready?"

Squall shrugged. "Let's get this over with."

Zell belayed him down. He stood above the train, hands securing a rope that tied them together. They never did a climbing class with only basic tools like this, so everything could go haywire.

Squall opened the small hatch and yelled to Rinoa, "What's the code?"

"Four-four-one-four!"

"Watch it, Squall. One's coming!" Selphie shouted. Zell pulled his friend up. The guard passed the window without noticing a strange black boot went up. "Okay, he's gone!"

Squall descended down again, and started jamming the button.

"Another!" shouted Rinoa. Squall halted his work and Zell rushed to pull him up. "Okay, gone!"

Squall went down.

Right before he pushed the last button, Selphie shouted, "One's coming!"

_Damn it! _Squall looked up as Zell hastened to pull him.

That was when everything went wrong. His two wire Karabiners snapped. One apparently had cracked ever since Zell towed him for the first time. Without a twin to hold it, the last Karabiner gave up as Zell used all his power to pull his friend up.

—CRACK—

Squall grasped the rope with both of his hands, feeling the Karabiner broke under the force. He glanced down. The only thing tied his webbing and the end of a rope was a knot. Since he was wearing soft leather gloves, his grasp slowly loosened, sliding him down.

"Squall! Damn!" Zell crouched, trying to snatch his friend's hand. "Here, hold my hand!"

"What's going on?" Rinoa said from her spot on the far edge, looking for the guard. "Zell…?"

"Squall!" Selphie was nearer. She rushed towards them, struggling to pull the rope. "Up, Squall!"

The guard that Selphie had warned Squall about was realizing the noise outside. He peeked out and yelled to Squall. "Hey! What do you think you're doing!"

Squall raised his foot and kicked the guard with his hard sole boot. The guard yelped in pain as he booted him once more. The other guard inside the car stared in shock when he saw his colleague fell unconscious after looking out from the window. He dashed towards the next car.

"The guard!" screamed Rinoa. "He ran away!"

"Ifrit!" Selphie yelled. "Stop the guard!"

In half a second, the red creature materialized from her body. He bent down to the window train below and shoved his giant hand through the glass, breaking the wall. His giant hand snatched the guard and pulled him away. The guard screamed as the hand squeezed him, crushing his bone.

**What should I do next, little lady?**

"Keep him away!"

Ifrit raised the guard in the air and flung the human far away… maybe to Esthar.

**Done.**

Ifrit returned inside her brain, leaving her to pull Squall up with no success. Squall peered down to the switch and his own knot. The last button still needed to be pressed, but if he slid down to push the button, the loose knot would be freed and he might fly away.

"We don't have time!" Rinoa looked down at her watch. "There is only one minute left! Hurry!"

Squall released himself from his friend's grasps and slid down, ignoring shouts from Zell and Selphie. He jammed down the last button when his subordinates struggled to pull him up.

"Squall!" Zell shouted. "Are you insane?"

When Zell pulled the rope up, he accidentally unfastened the knot on Squall's webbing. Squall quickly gripped the rope with both of his hands.

"Selphie! Go and do the second uncoupling!" Squall shouted. "Now!"

"No!" she said. "I won't! I don't want to!"

"Do it! It's an order!"

"No!"

"Do it, damn it! Zell, help her!"

He looked to his belayer, but Zell refused to let go of his rope. He managed to pull half of the rope and him up, but in this condition, Squall knew when he was safe, their time would run out.

When Zell looked at him in the eyes, he realized what Squall was about to do. "No!" he yelled to Squall as their leader released one of his hands from the rope. "Squall! Stop! No!"

"Go and uncouple the second car!" Squall shouted, letting his hand go from the rope. "Pick me up later!"

"Squall!" Selphie screamed when his body flew behind, separating himself from the train and them. "Squaaaaaall!"

"Damn!" Zell carted the rest of the rope that was now very light. He realized his Karabiners were snapped as well. _No wonder I can't pull him up the last time!_

Grabbing Selphie's arm and running, he jumped off two cars to the second escort car, right before the first escort car released itself from the President's car.

"Rinoa!" Zell shouted, looking to their client who followed. "The code! Now!" He tied a death knot to Selphie's webbing. _No time for tying another knot. This will have to do! _

He belayed Selphie down as Rinoa read the codes on her small note, "Two-Four-One-Four-One!"

Unlike Squall, Selphie managed to jam three buttons in inhumanely speed before Rinoa shouted, "Guard!"

Zell heaved her up. Since she was a lightweight, it was effortless.

"Okay, gone!"

Selphie rushed down, her face serious. She squashed the two last buttons. "Done!"

Zell lifted her up, grabbed her arm and ran away, jumping from the second escort car to the president car. Selphie turned around and watched Rinoa who managed to leap from the escort car before it left their current car.

"Ow!" Rinoa bumped her knee on her landing. "Ow…Kay…"

Zell glanced around. The car they boarded on travelled forward, coupled itself with Timber Owl train. He hopped down to the Owl's train, Selphie followed in silence.

"Good job!" Zone nodded to them. "Where's your leader?"

"Can we get back to the trail?" Zell murmured. "We should pick up his body."

"His body?" Zone stood in shock. "He died? How…?"

Selphie bit her lip, her tears blocking her view. She crouched down, sobbing.

"What…?" Zone frowned. "Why are you crying? What happened?"

"What happened?" Zell shoved Zone. "What happened is for your Timber Owl mission, we lost Squall!"

"Squaaaaall!" Selphie wailed. "Nooooooo!" She hugged her knees and bawled.

The train stopped moving. Zone bit his lip, studying the SeeDs in sympathy. Watts turned his head outside and stepped out when Zone uttered his apology. "I'm sorry. What I can say is…" He sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry." He nodded to Rinoa when the girl trailed in after the SeeDs. She bowed her head low.

"Your sorry won't bring him back!" Zell glowered at Zone. "Your sorry won't bring Squall back! He died for you! For your mission! Just because there's only a minute left! Damn it! Damn it!" He punched the floor; the train wobbled. "Squall is dead…"

"Squaaaall…" Selphie cried. "Huhuuuuu…"

"Squall is dead…" Zell said, forcing himself to believe it.

"Don't kill me that fast."

Selphie and Zell snapped their heads to the voice. Squall tumbled inside the room, Watts followed behind. He was a mess. There were a lot of blood smearing his clothes, but he was alive.

"Squaaaaaaall!" Selphie dashed and leaped towards him. Squall's eyes widened as he stepped to his left, effectively avoiding the aggressive hug and Selphie bumped her forehead to the wall with a loud bang.

"Squall!" Zell ran and tried to hug him as well, but Squall stumbled back, leaving the blond hugging the air.

"Let's move on," the stoic boy said, staring off in calculation. Zell soothed Selphie who cried harder, this time for another reason.

* * *

**_To be continued…_**

* * *

A/N: Why didn't they just tie the rope to his body? Well, it's usually only for emergency reason, like when you have to pull an accident victim up. You can't use it for a repeated pull-push action, because one: either the rope will roll up to your chest and strangle you or it will roll down to your hip and halt your action, and two: the rope itself will mark your skin and the end result might scar your skin. Sometimes they do have to tie it straight to your body, when there is no tool (it happened to me twice… the results were painful!)


	10. A loooooong Day

**Chapter X: A loooooong Day**

* * *

"Finally...We've waited so long for this encounter with Vinzer," Zone said. "It's amazing, what you guys did up there…"

"It's our job," Squall said, glancing at Zell and Selphie who stood far from him and scowled like a couple of broken-hearted children.

They stood in front of the president's cabin, waiting for Rinoa to come back with her weapon. The fact that she had a weapon itself surprised Squall, but not more than when she asked Squall to hand her a GF, so she could assist them with magic. After much hesitation, he handed her Siren. Rinoa wasn't happy to hold a silencing GF without much offensive magic, but she accepted it anyway.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Rinoa showed up, a projectile weapon in one hand. "Let's go, shall we? Zone, Watts, open the door."

Zone and Watts looked at each other with alarmed expressions on their face. Then Watts raised one of his hands and said, "Leave the intelligence up to me, sir!" He ran away, leaving them as fast as he could.

Zone crouched down, holding his stomach. "…My stomach! Owowoooouuuch…" He ran off, tailing Watts with the same speed, which was amazing considering his stomach ache.

Rinoa looked up, exasperated. "Why do I even bother?" Shaking her head, she turned to Squall. "Let's go."

Squall nodded to Zell and Selphie. He held the door handle and slowly opened it. Peeking into the room, he saw someone sitting on the chair. The man turned his back to the door. Squall opened the door ajar. Rinoa walked in, stopping only a few feet away from the President.

"President Deling. As long as you... don't resist, you won't get hurt..." she faltered, clasping her hand on her back, her feet fidgeted, glancing at the President's chair.

Squall covered his eyes. _Who would get scared of that kind of tone?_

"And if I do resist..." the president said. " What would you do...? Young lady?"

Rinoa's eyes widened as the President rose up from his chair and turned to them. Squall rushed to her side and unsheathed his gunblade. Zell and Selphie drew out their weapons.

"Boo-hoo... Too bad..." The president laughed. "I'm not the president. I'm what they call...a body double."

He walked closer to Rinoa and Squall, as they staggered back.

"All these rumours about the many resistance groups in Timber... You pass along a little false information and they fall for it... How pathetic... Seems like there are only amateurs around here."

"Ama... teurs...?" Rinoa gritted her teeth.

The fake president swayed his body. "Ahh... My butt hurts from all this sitting... Young... LADY... Ahh... So what did you have in stORE for me had I resiSTED...?" He chuckled. "Why doN'T you teLL mE... QuiTE aMUsing thouGH... For beINg such amAtEurs...! HoW daRe YOU InSUlt tHe presIDent!"

He lunged forward to attack the couple. Rinoa shrieked and crouched down to avoid the attack as Squall blocked it.

Zell sprinted towards them to help his captain. Rinoa crawled to the door. The fake president didn't care about the rest of them as he, once again, crooked his body forward to snap at Rinoa. Selphie who was standing nearby lifted her foot and lashed out at his face. When the fake president stumbled back, Zell thumped his neck with the edge of his palm. The President collapsed to the ground as Rinoa opened the door and scampered away.

Squall took a step back when the body of the fake president emitted black smoke. Selphie and Zell lurched back, watching the carcass engulfed in the dark fog.

"What the—" The captain narrowed his eyes when the smoke rose up.

Zell raised his fists in battle stance as Selphie held up her Nunchaku to the smoke. When the smoke disappeared, they saw a revolting looking monster.

"Eeeeeewww…." Selphie grimaced as the monster twisted his body to attack her. She rolled to her side. "Ifrit! Hell Fire!"

**Very well—**

**_I'm going out! Me! Me!_**

"Waah!" Selphie fell down when Diablos emerged in Ifrit's stead. The conceited GF raised his claws and ripped the monster with both of his hands. Zell mumbled, "Scan!" when Squall sliced the monster with his gunblade. Diablos raised his claws to the ceiling and shaped a dark ball of mist, tossing it to the monster before returning to his host.

**We will need to have a LONG TALK about this, Dio.**

The monster screeched to the inflicted injuries and tottered forward to Selphie. The girl moved aside, leaving the monster's assault breached empty air. The monster was persisting on battering the girl, causing the Nunchaku-wielder to sprint all over the room.

"No faaaaair!" Selphie complained, rolling forward to avoid the nasty spew.

"It's Gerogero!" Zell said to Squall. "Weak to curatives and fire!"

"Selphie!" Squall grasped inside his pocket, looking for a Potion. "Call Ifrit!"

"Easy for you to say!" Selphie bawled and scuttled to the edge of the room, near Zell who punched the monster. His fist inflicted no real damage. Gerogero moaned and spit at him.

"Aagh!" Zell crouched down; the putrid spew covered his face. "Yuck! Agh! I can't see anything!" Selphie pulled her friend just in time before Gerogero managed to beat him. "Fuck!"

"Stop cursing like someone we know," Squall said, pulling out his Potion and snapping the cap open. He tossed the vial to Gerogero, shouting to Selphie when the monster trembling in pain, "If you want to call Ifrit, this is the right time, Selphie!"

Selphie glowered to her captain. "Ifrit! Hell Fire!"

Ifrit surfaced, wasting no time in calling forth his famous ball of fire. He soared up and hurled his fiery ball to Gerogero, making an effort to tramp on the ball and compressing the monster to its death. The fire GF fluttered back to Selphie when Squall placed a vial of Remedy to Zell's palm. The blinded Zell attempted to drink the vial and frowned when he tasted nothing.

"What…?"

"It's not open yet, Zell." Selphie reached to the cap and snapped the vial open. Zell pouted, swallowing the liquid.

Squall gazed down to the remains of Gerogero and sighed.

_We wasted our time on nothing. _

He watched as Zell slowly regained his sight. "Come on, let's get back to them."

-x—

Zone glowered when the SeeDs entered their train. "Man, I can't believe the president was a fake!"

Rinoa had the same opinion. "I can't believe we fell for it!"

_You guys fell for it, _Squall thought when Selphie and Zell searching for a place to sit. _You guys didn't plan about this carefully._

"New info!" Watts ran in. "I found out the real reason why the president's here, sir! The president's going to the TV Station tomorrow! Security's super tight, sir!"

Rinoa leaned her head back to the wall. "...The TV Station? Why in Timber? They can broadcast just as easily from Galbadia."

Selphie said to Zell, "Do you think the Dollet communication tower has anything to do with this?"

"What's that?" Zone looked to them.

"Dollet has a communication tower that can transmit and receive radio waves," Squall said. "It had been abandoned for a long time, but the Galbadian Army got it up and running a few days ago."

"Oh, I get it." The Timber Owl leader nodded. "The only TV station that can handle broadcasts over the air is in Timber. Other stations use HD cable, which only supports online broadcasting."

Rinoa crossed her hands. "What I want to know is what's the president going to broadcast? Why use radio waves? They must want to say something to the whole world. What can it be?"

Selphie stood from her sitting position and waved her hand happily. "Everybody! Love! And peace!"

Everyone stared at her.

Squall rolled his eyes. _Not going to happen._

Rinoa put her index finger to her lips as she murmured, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if the first broadcast could be the declaration of Timber's independence?"

Zone pointed his finger to her. "Hey! That might be possible!"

_Yet another dreamer._ Squall cast his eyes on a blank spot, wondering if he got such a bad luck when he was chosen for the mission.

Rinoa smiled. "Let's come up with a plan then!" Zone, she and Watts huddled together on the floor.

The SeeDs stared in disbelief.

_If this is what they called forming a plan, I'm afraid to know what they did when they planned to kidnap the President._ Squall said, "Before we get into that, can I see your contract with our Garden?"

_See if we can find a loophole out of this mess…_

"Oh, sure." Rinoa reached inside her blue duster pocket, pulled out a paper and handed it to him.

Zell and Selphie strolled to him. Zell peeked at the form from Squall's shoulder. "What's it say?"

"... 'Balamb Garden hereafter referred to as 'Party A' acknowledges 'The Forest Owls' hereafter referred to as 'Party B' as the hiring party. SeeD hereafter referred to as 'Party C' shall be dispatched upon signing of this contract. Party C shall operate under the supervision...'"

Zell stared. "The hell...?"

Selphie shook her head. "I don't get it."

Rinoa shrugged. "Oh yeah, that one's pretty confusing. When I told him I don't understand, he gave me a different one." She gave Squall another leaf of paper. "Cid is such a nice man."

Selphie peeked to the form. "What's it say this time?"

"… To the Forest Owls," Squall read. "This SeeD deployment contract will last until Timber achieves independence. Please understand that this contract is an exception, and no replacement of any SeeD members can be made."

Zell shook his head. "Until Timber's independence?"

"That is soooo vague!" Selphie said.

Rinoa pouted. "Hey, you're paid professionals. No complaining! Okay, we form the plan." She stood up, hands on her hips. "Three of us are going to the station tomorrow; one will stay in the city and be the backup for the main team." She shrugged. "I'm going, so prepare two of you to come with me. We're going at seven tomorrow, the broadcast is at nine. Rest well, guys."

Squall stared at his squad while the rest of the Timber Owl crew decided to stop for the day. Zell and Selphie returned the stare with their puppy dog eyes.

"Do not go into town tonight," their captain said. "I repeat. Don't go out to town. We can't expose ourselves to Galbadian solder." He glared to Zell. "Do you understand, Zell?"

"Hey, no fair!" Zell scowled. "Selphie can sneak out too!"

Selphie tilted her head and set up her most innocent look.

Squall snorted. "Zell, I hope you understand. This is not a picnic. Do not go out tonight. Understand?"

"Hey!"

-x—

When they reached the centre of the island, Quistis's group had walked for ten hours. Watching Seifer and Nida's depressing faces after unending battles with monsters and among themselves, she knew it was time for a rest.

"Okay," she said. The two men stared at her; they had been too tired to mock each other anymore. "Let's sleep here tonight. We won't reach Deling today." _Not even tomorrow, if you guys keep that miserable face._ "Nida, open up the tent. I'll go look for—" She put her bag on the ground. "Food, wood… anything. Whatever." She stretched her stiff body and walked away.

Nida and Seifer glanced at each other, and, without any excitement for anything thrown at them right now, placed their bag to the ground. Nida drew out the tent as Seifer plopped down. He had been beaten, bit, punched, hacked and descended to the lowest low of energy today. He set his elbow on his knees and crossed his arms, burying his face.

"…Where are we…?" he said, losing his battle against the sleep fairy.

Nida observed their surroundings, planting the tent frame and nails on the ground. "We're… near Galbadia Garden." He groaned. "East Academy station is nearby; you only need one hour or so to Timber."

Seifer snapped his head up. "…Train?" He rose up and rushed to pull out the tent frame Nida planted. "Go call Quistis!"

"Hey!" Nida shouted, angry. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Seifer tossed the tent frame away. "Are you really that beaten up?" he shouted back. "If we're near the station, we can take a ride to Deling City!"

Nida stood, baffled and then turned to call their team leader. Seifer shoved the tent frame back to Nida's bag. Unable to arrange the frames, he scowled when there was no space left. He took the rest of the frame and walked to Quistis's bag, zipping the bag open and shoving the rest in. That was when he saw a folded paper peeking from the left pocket. Being a curious man that he was, Seifer opened and read it.

His face was expressionless when he folded the paper and pocketed it. He zipped the bag close and went to his own bag when his squad appeared.

-x—

"Clear?" Zell crouched; walking tiptoed to the train door. "Any sign of chief?"

Selphie was tiptoeing behind him, head turned left and right, and sometimes to the back of the cabin. "Clear…" she whispered through her giggles. " Chief is down!"

Together, the partner-in-naught escaped from the train and took their first step of freedom in Timber Station.

"Heheheheh…." Zell sneered as they walked to the train platform, away from their cold captain. "If Squall thinks we're going to follow his orders during our free time, he is so wrong…"

"Heheeeee…" Selphie sneered. "Squally Wally can be all locked up if that's what he wants, but we won't!"

The night was young; the sun had just been down. Zell and Selphie were checking out the Pet shop just near the train. Selphie held on the top of display counter with her hands as the shopkeeper appeared from the back of the shop.

"Hello!" Selphie greeted the shopkeeper, who nodded back. "Where's the cat and dog on display?"

The shopkeeper waved his hand. "We don't have any. They have pet displays on Deling; we only sell pet stuff here."

Selphie pouted. Zell looked down to the display case. "Is that small doghouse can fit any pets?"

The shopkeeper saw what he was referring. The miniature doghouse was petite; it could fit into Zell's palm. "It's GF pet house, you can house your unused GF there, sort of like transfer stone. This one can house up to five GF and heal them as well. The effect took only two hours."

"How much is it?"

"Five thousand Gil."

"Whoa…" Zell stopped his hand from reaching his wallet. "It's expensive!"

"Well, SeeDs took it to battle with them, and having a high energy GF is a matter of life or death." The shopkeeper scratched his head. "…I think. It's what they said anyway."

Selphie pointed to the Pet Pals magazine. "I take those two! Volume three and four!" She snickered to Zell. "To bribe Rinoa."

Zell snickered back. "Okay… I took five GF potions, and those two magazines." He drew out his wallet as Selphie smiled to him.

"Thanks, Zell!" she said.

The shopkeeper put their items in a plastic bag. "That will be three thousand Gil."

Zell looked in his wallet. He had five thousand Gil inside. He should've taken more from his accounts…

As Zell paid for the items, Selphie accepted the bag and turned her head around. She pointed to the junk shop. "I'll check if we can have any weapon upgrade!"

As she left the pet shop, Zell asked the shopkeeper, "Yo… any good place to date here?"

The shopkeeper smiled. "…Well, there are a pub and a small bridge if you follow that path." He pointed to the street near a big building with a sign 'Timber Maniacs'. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Zell was hoping that today was his lucky day, as he left the pet shop and tailed Selphie, entering the junk shop.

"Zell!" Selphie waved to him as he entered the store. "They have our weapon upgrades!" She set her hand on the display counter, browsing a weapon catalogue. "… I soooo want the upgrade!"

"Is it?" Zell looked to the shopkeeper who stood on the other side of the counter. The female shopkeeper shrugged.

"Yeah. Look at this." Selphie pointed to the catalogue. "They have Maverick and Flail. It's your weapon and mine. And they even have Shear Trigger for Squall." She laughed. "…Of course, he has to be present for them to upgrade his gunblade."

Zell observed his own iron gloves. He never upgraded his weapon since… well, forever. Now, he might need it as a SeeD, it seemed like they would fight in their mission.

"We can give you bill orders," the shopkeeper said. "So the client could use the bill to upgrade the weapon the next time he's here. To upgrade weapons, you also need to bring us the item. We will work on it in just two hours, so you can pick it up in the same day."

Selphie tilted her head. "…What sort of items?"

"Monster items… SeeD called it junk material." The shopkeeper pointed to the flail in the catalogue. "Like this one, it needs two magic stones and two bomb fragments."

The bouncy girl looked dejected. "Uh, we don't have those items…" she said.

"We also accept item conversion from Card." The shopkeeper motioned to the room in the back of the shop. "We need the Card; it only costs ten Gil per Card to change them into the item. Do you collect any Card?"

Selphie brightened up. "I have Diablos Card!"

"Whoa!" Zell stopped her. "That's a rare Card! Don't be crazy!"

"But I need weapon upgrade! Card won't make me strong!"

**_You want to turn my Card just for your flail?_** Diablos shouted inside her head.

**I think she will give YOU away for one satisfying meal.** Ifrit taunted the other GF.

**_Shut up! _**

Zell scratched the back of his head. He collected monster cards, since he used to train with GF that owned Carding ability. He never played it, but bringing a simple set of cards was easy. So he pulled out his card box and spread the cards on the counter. "Which one do I have to turn to items if we want upgrades for our weapons?"

Selphie stared at the cards in awe. Zell had Fish Fins, Grendel, Bitebugs, Bomb, Elnoyle, Shumi Tribe (he won it by beating T-Rexaur and card it), T-Rexaur, Jumbo Cactuar (carding Glacial Eyes), and Krysta (carding Buels in Fire Cavern). She didn't collect cards and she was a horrible player so she only played for fun. Sometimes she did collect cute looking monster cards, but her set was not as expansive as Zell's.

The shopkeeper nodded. "Okay. I will take… "The shopkeeper chose the cards for item converting. "These fourteen cards." Taking the cards, she held up her hand waiting for the money. "That will be one hundred and forty Gil. Along with the three weapon upgrades, it will be six hundred and forty Gil."

Selphie looked at Zell who was drawing his wallet once again. "You want me to pay for this one?"

"Nah, I get it." Zell gave the money and removed his gloves, giving his weapon to her. Selphie did the same.

"Go back here later." The shopkeeper took all the needed tools and walked inside the room in the back, leaving Zell fourteen cards and six hundred forty Gil poorer.

"Where to go next, Zell?"

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	11. My First Date

**Chapter XI: My First Date**

* * *

"Let's go there, Zell!"

Zell looked to the building Selphie was pointing at, a Timber Maniacs building. Shrugging, he followed his cheerful companion.

Selphie peeked in when she opened the door. "Excuse me!"

A receptionist behind the desk noticed her. "Come in."

Selphie walked in, eyes scanning the surroundings. The room filled with books and magazine scattered around the place. A stairway was on the edge of the room. She asked the receptionist, "Can we look around?"

"Sure," the woman replied, "there is nothing really interesting in here. Just don't mess the place more than it already is, okay?"

Zell looked down to the magazine scattered around the floor and saw a 'Girl Next Door' magazine. He glanced at his companion; Selphie walked upstairs. While the receptionist was not looking, he picked the magazine and opened it.

One minute later, he closed the magazine with a blushing face. After taking a deep breath, he folded the magazine and put it inside his baggy pants pocket when Selphie ran down.

"Hey, look what I found!" She waved a magazine, walking towards him. "Old issue of Timber Maniacs! You see, here…" She opened the magazine, showing him an article with a photo of a black-haired man that seemed familiar to Zell. "Sir Laguna wrote an article in here! He is so cool!"

"Heh." Zell shrugged. "If you say so."

"I also found a hidden draw point of Blizzaga upstairs!" Selphie smiled. "Ifrit told me about it. Since I can't use magic that well, I'll give it to you later, okay?" The blond boy nodded as he followed Selphie out of the building.

The girl observed to the left and right when Zell said, "Let's go there," pointing to the street on the right of the building. They strolled through the small lane when Selphie entered a civilian's house whose door opened. Of course, Zell had to tag along. An old man looked up from his chair when they blatantly entered his home.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Selphie was just forming an answer when he said, "You guys must be one of those resistance members, huh? The Owl's Tear is over there." He waved to the sink. "Just drink it and leave."

Zell and Selphie stared at each other before Zell decided to be the guinea pig. He marched closer to the sink and turned the tap, drinking the water.

"How is it?" whispered the waiting girl.

"Hey," Zell said, his eyes sparkled. "This is Hi-Potion water!"

The man snorted. "Yeah, that's Owl's tear."

"Really…?" Selphie bounced. "Let me try it!" She ran to the sink as Zell stepped to the side, letting her drinking the water. "Oh, cool! This really is Hi-Potion liquid!"

"Where's the source of the water comes from?" Zell asked the man.

"Dunno, don't care. It's been here since I was a kid. Now please leave, I'm about to sleep."

The two excited teens left, their body refreshed.

"We have to tell Squall there's Hi-Potion source here," Selphie said.

"What? And telling him that we sneak out?" Zell rolled his eyes. "Don't. If it's Squall, he will claim the Owl's Tear as SeeDs source, convince Garden to buy the house and kick out the old man."

She giggled, imagining the events. "Yeah, Squall will do that!"

The pub was a bit crowded when they entered. It seemed like this was the night where everybody hanging out. Zell clutched Selphie's hand, passing through the crowd into the bar area. He pulled out a seat for his companion before taking the empty one next to her.

"If I assume correctly, you guys are minors," the slim bartender said, crossing his arms. "So, what do you want to drink here? I have milk and juice."

"Can I have food?" Selphie ignored the sarcasm. "I'm hungry!"

Zell scratched his neck. "Yeah, me too."

The man shook his head and mumbled something suspiciously like 'damn kids these days' before disappearing into the back room. Selphie crossed her arms and placed it against the bar, turning her attention to Zell.

"So… tell me about Zell Dincht! Something I need to know about you?"

"Well…" Zell said. "You know I have a Ma. My Pa and my Ma separated when I was ten. Mom lived with my grandpa. They sold stuff at Balamb Market… before I entered Garden I always helped selling things by parading in front of the stand. Like, for every hundred Gil I would do ten pull-ups in the street lamp, for one thousand I would show fifty pushups with one hand and so on."

She giggled. "Sounds nice!"

"Yeah. Then one day Cid came to the market. He saw me and asked Ma if it's okay to let me enter Garden, since I have physical gift. Since there's no good future for kids like us in Balamb, Ma let me enter. The same year, Grandpa died." Zell nodded to the bartender when he put the plates of bacon and eggs in front of them, then reached for the fork and knife the man put on the side.

"I'm sorry…" Selphie said. Zell shook his head.

"Nah, it's okay. Hey, can we have juice?" Zell said to the bartender, who nodded and walked into the back room. "Let's eat, shall we?"

-x-

He felt so relieved when the big city of Deling shown itself in its brightest colour. Quistis and Nida sighed, obviously felt the same way. The escalator they took rose up from the Deling Station to the city, showing them the most magnificent sight Seifer had ever seen. The sight reminded him about his runaway and his uncountable dates with a raven-haired girl. In addition, the strict-from-hell-General-father of her, but that was another matter. At least he escaped intact.

"We just need to check in the Galbadia hotel, right?" Nida motioned to the bus stop nearby. "Let's take that one. It drops us right in front of the hotel."

They arrived in the hotel five minutes later. Dragging his tired body and his backpack, that somehow had become so heavy, Seifer tagged along with his captain while she ordered one triple bedroom with high fees. He wondered about whose going to pay for it later, but decided that it would not be him. Even though Cid gave him a lot for allowance, he had never used it for unimportant matters. Seifer was extravagant and loved to spoil women, but there was a limit. Why would he pay for an expensive room if he could sleep just the same in an average one? Moreover, now he was on a mission, there was no one he needed to woo.

Seifer pushed Nida away after the quiet man unlocked the door. The man sighed when Seifer barged in first and lunged to the first bed nearby. After Quistis was sure Seifer was dozing off, she nodded to Nida and motioned for the bathroom.

Nida locked the bathroom door as Quistis spoke in low tones, "Boss told me what to do next. Right after we arrive at Deling, one of us has to follow our target. The other will stay here and watch for the bait."

Nida raised his eyebrow and replied in the same low sound, "I suppose I'm the one who has to spy on our target, while you baby-sit that jerk?"

"If you want to do it, that's fine by me." Quistis held her chin with one of her hands, studying her partner twitch. "I guess that's it."

"Okay, okay, I'm going." Nida raised his hand, giving up. "Who's our fish?"

Quistis' face went blank. "Her name is Edea. You are going to the President Mansion. The fish is a sorceress."

-x-

Selphie placed her fork and knife on the empty plate, gazing around the bar for anything that could lengthen their 'free time' a bit longer. The pub was crowded, and some of the patrons had already gone drunk.

Sensing this, Zell whispered to the cautious girl, "Just head out, okay? I'll be with you in a second."

Selphie nodded and stood up from her seat, scrambling outside when Zell drew out his wallet.

The bartender was collecting their empty plates and glasses while saying in a loud tone, since the pub was very noisy, "It will be two thousand Gil."

Zell stopped his hand from taking out his money and watched the bartender with disbelieving stare. After one minute of staring at each other, he finally found his voice, "…I don't have two thousand…"

"You're kidding, right?" The bartender put the dirty dish in a place below the bar before stood up straight against the boy. "I served you and your girlfriend endlessly through the night and now you tell me you got no money? Okay, kiddo, which eyes you want me to pluck first?" He made a motion of pulling out each finger with a cracking sound. "Right? Left?"

Zell had no doubt that he could beat the slim man anytime, but it was not his intention. That and the pub was too packed for him to run away for his life if the bartender's friends and guards came to get him.

"Whoa, whoa… Easy," he said, pulling out the rest of his money, showing it to the bartender. "I have one thousand three hundred sixty… here." He twitched when the bartender snatched the money away and narrowed his eyes. "Can I pay the rest with Cards?"

"I don't play cards," the bartender said, counting the money when Zell fidgeted in the spot. "What valuables do you got? I'll keep on that until you got the rest to pay me."

After considering his choice, Zell pulled out a small box he intended to give to Selphie after the date. "You promise you won't sell it?"

"I'm the victim here, kiddo." The man seized the box from the boy's hand, and whistled when he saw what was inside. "Nice…"

Zell squirmed, noticing the sparks in the man's eyes. "Promise you'll keep it?"

The man glanced to the teen, waving the pretty necklace inside the box. "I guess this is a family heirloom, eh? You are planning to give it to your girlfriend after this? Moving fast, aren't you boy? Eh?"

The boy pouted. "Just promise you won't give it, sell it or throw it away. I will be back tomorrow to pay the rest. I want it back."

The slim bartender smirked, closing the small box and put it inside his pocket. "If you don't come back at noon tomorrow, I'll give it to my wife." Zell scowled. The bartender ignored him and took the dirty dish to the back room. Sighing, Zell made his way out.

Selphie smiled, gesturing her head to the stairwell that brought them back to the Timber Maniacs building. "Can we stay longer here?" she said, swaying her body. "I don't want to come back that soon to pouty Squall."

"You mean sleepy Squall, right?" Zell said as they travelled to the bridge above the train tunnel, near the Timber Maniacs building. "If Squall is awake when we get home, we will see more than a pout. Or maybe we won't see anything, and he will spend the rest of his morning looking for a place to hide our corpses…"

"Oh, look!" Selphie pointed to the sky. "Stars!" She hopped to the stone railing and sat on it, swaying her feet left and right. Zell rushed to her side and held her waist from the back, making sure the girl did not fall down to the railroad below.

"So…" Zell casually held her waist with one hand, while the other supported himself on the railing. "What about you? Come on, I tell you all about me in the bar."

"Hmm?" She turned her eyes to him. "I thought you like to talk?"

"But that's not fair…" The boy pouted, placing his head to the side of her waist. "I want to know about you…"

"Tee hee…" Selphie studied the stars. "Hmm… I was born sixteen years ago, I lived in Trabia."

Zell closed his eyes, ear perked up to the voice. Selphie did not say anything else. He peeked with one eye. "That's it? Come on."

"Um." Selphie tapped her fingers to her mouth, thinking. "My mom is the Trabia Garden headmaster, I have no siblings. I spend two hours every day curling this hair so it defies gravity and I spend my money on hairsprays. I love Chocobo, yellow, my eyes and your hair!" She touched the pointy spikes on his hair. "It's so Chocobo-ey!"

"Choco-what?" Zell's eyes snapped open. He pulled his head away and scowled as Selphie grinned. "Tch."

"Hehee…"

Zell rolled his eyes, but soon decided to ask the most important question: "So… any boys you like? I mean… in Balamb Garden?"

If Ma Dincht was there, she might toss her son up in the air, happy about his bold moves. Selphie crossed her arms, wondering about his question.

Well, she did say she like yellow. That alone was a good clue that she might like blond-haired man. She also said she like her own eyes, which mean she might choose a person who had the same eye colour.

_But I don't really like the way he styles his hair, _thought Selphie, _if he colours his trench coat in yellow or green instead of boring dull grey, I might not need to change anything… after I went back to Garden I'm going to kidnap the coat and do it for him. That silver gunblade is cool too; I know a Chocobo key ring I can glue on the hilt…_

"Selph?" Zell awoke her. Selphie shook her head and with one move, dropped back onto the ground beside Zell. "Let's get back to the base, shall we?" she said, smiling to her partner.

When Selphie walked away, Zell moaned in low sound, "Today is so unfair…"

"Oh!" Selphie remembered something and then ran back to Zell. She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek, smiling brightly. "Thank you for today, Zell! I'm so glad you're my first date!"

Zell stood stunned when the girl walked away. A smile slowly built up on his lips.

"Hehehe…." He let out a small laugh, louder and louder, and then laughed aloud. "Yeeaaaaah! Woooo-hooo! Yeaaah baby!" The boy punched his fist out, jumping into the air.

Then he heard a yelling: "Shut up! Everyone's trying to sleep here, jerk!"

-x-

Two hours after Seifer dozed off something aroused him. The man sat up with blurry eyes, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He stood up and walked to the bathroom. Yawning, Seifer washed his face and when he was done, staring at his own reflection with tired gaze.

Massaging his neck as he walked back to the room, he noticed Quistis. She sat on the other bed, glasses on, reading her study book. Seifer sat on the same bed, his back on her, making her peered at him when his weight pressed his side of the bed down.

"Where's that man?" Seifer said, rolling his head and easing his stiff neck. "Nida-something?"

"Nida is out," Quistis said, back to studying her book. "We got the next order. Nida is looking for information and the two of us are holding ground. This is our base now."

"Hng." Seifer leaned his body back and lay on her lap. "I suppose you're going to pay for our base, right?"

Quistis closed her book with a thump and glared at her subordinate. "Yes. I will appreciate it if you sit up now. If you haven't noticed, I am as tired as you are, and my thighs are in pain."

Seifer smirked. "Want me to massage it, Trepe?"

Quistis smacked the book on his head and sighed when Seifer yelped under the book. "When are you going to notice that I'm immune to you?"

Seifer pushed the book away as he sat up. "Clearly you are not immune to Squall." It was a low mumble, but since they sat so close, his former instructor heard him. He cursed when she smacked the back of his head with the same book. "Dammit woman, when this mission ends I'm going to be a retard!"

"That's clearly an improvement from a moronic bastard."

The man exhaled and stood up, then began pacing around the room. Ignoring the attention craver's sign, Quistis removed her glasses and rested it on the desk beside the bed, stretching out her body. The PCS inside her bag rang. Quistis rushed to her bag, pulled out her PCS in time and jammed the talk button.

"Yeah? Nida?"

"Trey," said the spy. "I'm in… the president's not here."

"What?" Quistis stared at Seifer. "How come? There is no news that he's going anywhere…"

"I know," Nida said. "Listen… I also heard that he brings our fish along… to Timber."

"Timber?" Seifer piped in. He crouched down next to Quistis. "Hey you… you heard anything about a resistance action against Deling?"

"What…?" the spy sounded confused. "Uh…yeah, the soldiers were tricking some teens into thinking they were kidnapping the president with a set up train or something. How do you know that?"

Seifer cursed when Quistis took control of the conversation. "And how did it end?"

"Don't know. I did not hear them to the end. They said there were four of them. Two girls, one with blue clothes and the other had a strange flipping-up hair. The other two were a boy with a gunblade and the last had a spiky blond hair. They said the gunblade boy died."

Quistis staggered to her feet after that. She knew three of her students that fit with the description, and the gunblade boy was…"D—Die…?"

"Fuck!" Seifer yelled. "They send two monkeys and one cat to kidnap president? What was that fat headmaster thinking?" In a mad rush, he grabbed his backpack.

Quistis shouted to him. "Seifer? Where do you think you're going?"

Seifer glared at his captain, still mumbling incoherent curses. "Where do you think I'm going, Trepe?"

"But we should stay here!"

"Don't let out bait run loose, Trey," Nida said. "I have to stay low. Later."

Quistis shoved the PCS into her backpack. After one quick glance around the room, she ran to catch up to Seifer.

"Seifer! Wait!" She ran to the elevator, managed to step in at the last minute. She shook her head at him when the door closed. "You shouldn't do that. We should stick here."

"Oh?" Seifer crossed his arms. "I guess that's why you bring your bag too, huh?" He glanced at her. "You want to know if the gunblade boy really died, aren't you."

Quistis massaged her temple and followed her subordinate out of the elevator. "I suppose we're taking the train to Timber now? …In the middle of the night?"

"The faster the better," Seifer said, pacing through the streets of Deling. "If the 'fish' you're talking about is there too, we catch two fishes with one net." Their fast steps carried them to the station quicker than she expected. "Of course, after this is done, we have to talk about your resignation… Instructor."

Quistis's eyes widened, she stood dumbfounded when Seifer strolled away to the ticket counter.

-x-

Zell was peeking through the train door as Selphie bounced on her heels beside him, waiting for a gesture. Peering inside and seeing no one in the dark cabin, Zell nodded and opened the door, making sure he was silent. They managed to enter the cabin and Selphie was closing the door when the lamp went on. Zell stared in horror to the edge of the room, where Squall was standing with a frigid expression, one of his hands was holding his unsheathed gunblade and the other was on the lamp switch.

Selphie screamed and tried to save her life, opening the entrance door when Squall said, "Run and I'll kill you, Tilmitt."

She was horrified when Squall strode to the centre of the room. Their captain motioned for them to kneel in front of him. Zell and Selphie rushed to do his unspoken order, heads bowed low.

"What do I say before…?" Squall wondered aloud, making his subordinates twitched. "What have I said about town before… Zell?"

Zell stared at the floor. "Do not go out to town…"

Squall stomped his foot to the floor, right on his line of sight. Zell mumbled, "Do not go out to town. We can't expose ourselves to the Galbadian soldier…" he added, "…Captain."

Squall raised his gunblade, and hit Selphie's head hard with the hilt of his gunblade. The girl shrieked and began to cry. Zell shouted to him, "Hey, why do you…aw! Aaaww!"

Squall hit Zell's head just as hard with the same hilt, twice. Raising his chin to his two crying subordinates, he said, "Cry out loud, wake the Owls and I'll make sure you cry your way back to Garden."

As if someone plastered them, the guilty teens closed their mouths. They looked up to the captain, shooting him with their sparkling tears, trembling lips and reddened faces. However, this time it did not help them. Squall raised his eyebrow.

"It only works when you did nothing wrong."

Zell showed his teary eyes to his captain. "We were out for upgrading our weapon, Squall…"

"Yeah!" Selphie sobbed, backing up the story. "We thought if we do it in the morning, it will make the soldiers on patrol suspicious about us, so we did it today…"

"We also studied the place…"

"We found a Hi-Potion source…"

"And there was a pub where all the soldiers hanging out…"

"Stop," said their captain, not amused at all. "I don't care. After tomorrow, I will send you two back to Garden. I can do this very well on my own."

The pair looked at each other. Then Selphie tapped her pocket, remembering something. "But it's true… we even ordered a Shear Trigger upgrade _for you_…" She pulled out the paper and presented the bill with both of her hands, her head bowing low as the captain snatched the tribute.

A minute passed as their captain studied the bill. Then, he walked away without words. Selphie and Zell stared at each other when he left them.

"Are we going home?" Zell whispered. "I'm going to be in deep trouble when we get back…"

"Did he not like the bribe or something?" Selphie rummaged the plastic bag she held on all this time. "Should we pay him a Pet Pals magazine or GF Potion for Shiva?"

Squall's voice sounded from the next cabin, "Get some sleep. If this happens one more time, you two will be glad to run back home."

Sighing in relief, they stood up and followed the captain's order.

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	12. Before The Storm

**Chapter XII: Before the Storm**

* * *

As the train entered the Timber station, he let his eyes wander around the cabin. The midnight train was always empty, and there were only the two of them inside the room. Most of midnight trains carried cargo shipments. It was no surprise to him that the ticket price for a passenger was cheaper by half.

It was one and half an hour since they left from Deling. Seifer sat near the window, letting his eyes traced the view outside. Quistis sat next to him, but after half an hour, her eyes fluttered shut and her body limped against his. When their train halted to a stop at their destination, her head was resting on his lap and he absent-mindedly stroked her hair. His other hand placed on the window frame supporting his chin, his mind was on the other SeeDs they were about to meet.

Seifer thought of how Cid acted when he told him about the mission, he was the one who would act on it, not that cold-hearted frigid black kitten. Seifer knew a lot about the mission Timber Owl carried out, he planned some of them. Nevertheless, he did not plan the mission for Squall. Hyne, was there no other choices? Balamb Garden had plentiful resources of SeeDs, and the one their smart-ass headmaster sent to kidnap the most important person in Galbadia was Squall?

_Not only that!_ He grumbled. _Chicken Wuss and Messenger Girl in his team? Wow. Just wow. Hyne fucking wow! Those idiots will kill themselves! If Squall hasn't done that to himself already, he's mentally suicidal!_

The train door near their seat glided open. Seifer tapped his hand to Quistis's sleeping head gently, waking her up. The instructor looked so tired, so he let her sleep on his thigh. After all, Seifer used to have physical contact with girls, and he liked close range with women. Boys were another matter. He loathed when they stood in his private range, let alone touching him.

"Ng…" Quistis fluttered her eyelid open. She blinked a few times before realizing where her head was resting on. She sat up at once, staring at the man in surprise. The blond man stood up and reached for their bag on the cabinet above them. Quistis looked around and exhaled, decided to skip on the matter. She stood and accepted her backpack, following Seifer out to the station.

Seifer scanned his surroundings as soon as their feet met the railway platform. The Timber Owl train was supposed to be there. They never moved their base unless something important happened. Knowing how Zone was, Seifer knew kidnapping President was not that important to the teen leader to the point where he would order the train to leave after one failed attempt. If that were what happened, Timber Owl wouldn't have a permanent base location, since Seifer never saw them successfully done a big and important mission. The one they managed to execute was raiding the supplies for Galbadian soldiers' logistic, and that was when Seifer was still with them, yelling and taking charge over everything.

"Hide!" his captain whispered, and Seifer crouched down, crawling behind their train in the darkness of the night. He peeked out, studying four Galbadian soldiers walking into the train they just rode on. Quistis crouched next to him and kept her posture in battle stance, in case the soldiers noticed them. The four soldiers walked out of the train carrying one box of cargo each, marching to the city.

"Where do you think they're going?" whispered Seifer.

"…My guess? The cargo was for the man and our fish," Quistis replied. "It's too small to be weapons, probably food and clothes."

Seifer continued his search on the Timber Owl train. When he saw his target parked at the edge of the station, he nudged his captain. She moved her eyes to him as Seifer motioned to the train. "I'll go there."

Quistis turned her head to the train. After listing her choices, she said, "You go there, I'll follow the soldiers."

"What?" Seifer glared at her.

She stood up. "I said I'll follow the soldier. The mission is for our fish, not your resistance friends. Go and join them if you want, I give you permission to do so. I'll follow our target myself."

"Are you insane? You? By yourself?" Seifer stood up and groaned when she began to walk away from their hiding spot, obviously had no qualms about doing their mission herself. "Aren't you worried about the dead gunblade boy?"

She stopped her feet and said to him in a cold voice, "It has nothing to do with the mission. If he's dead, he is dead. So be it."

The tall blond raised his eyebrow, watching his captain's cold calculation. He saw her shoulder wavered a bit and sighed. "Alright, alright." Flicking his hand in the air, Seifer said, "I won't leave a lady alone on a mission. That's not how a true knight acts."

Quistis rolled her eyes. "Great, SIR Seifer." She started walking again, leaving the station with her newly appointed sir knight following her.

Seifer glanced at the Timber Owl train for the last time. Shaking his head and sighing, he decided to contact Rinoa after his mission was over. They were walking to the town when he looked down at his watch. It was three in the morning.

The new SeeD frowned and began to close one of his eyelids and open up the other, in an attempt to rest his tired eyes while walking silently through the streets of Timber.

-x—

Finally, Seifer was unable to stifle his yawn when they followed the soldiers entering the pub. Quistis noticed the blurry eyes of her tired companion. She looked around and wondered why the pub was still crowded even at half past three. The patrons were mostly soldiers. Some of them were drinking and others had gone drunk. Quistis noticed a young soldier walking to her, his face was red and he was too drunk to walk without stumbling. Seifer frowned and wrapped her shoulders in his arm, glaring to the soldier. After stopping in front of them, the soldier began to get nervous and gulped before walking away. Even when in their drunk state, some people still had their survival instinct.

Seifer threw his glare around the room, to anyone looking at his captain in craving looks. The pub apparently had small numbers of woman and some of them were middle age servers. The men looked away when he glared at them.

Probably this was the only time Quistis would be thankful that he was there. She walked beside him, crossing the room in silence with eyes studying the soldiers they followed before. The group they trailed was sitting at the corner of the pub. Seifer noticed this as well and gestured her to sit on the barstool.

The couple sat at the bar area. The bartender who watched their grand entrance rolled his eyes at them.

"Well…" the slim man said. "What do you want to drink? I suggest non-alcoholic, pal… won't be good if you're drunk."

Quistis and Seifer glanced at each other. They were only eighteen! Did the bartender just think they were old enough to drink?

_Well, we look mature enough,_ thought Quistis.

Seifer said to the man, "Anything to eat?"

"Yeah, I can only cook bacon and eggs," the man said with a huff. What was wrong with his new patrons today? He was a bartender. This place was not a restaurant!

"That's good." Seifer nodded. "Two plates of that and a cup of double espresso."

"Make it two cups and one plate of salad if you have it," said Quistis.

The bartender shrugged to himself and muttered 'maybe I've got to be a cook' before leaving to the back room. Seifer moved his head close to her ear, pretending to kiss her while staring to the group behind her.

The young woman whispered to him. "Any sign of them leaving yet?"

"They just arrived here a few minutes before us." Seifer smirked, kissing her ear before moving his head away. Quistis blinked in surprise and narrowed her eyes to the smiling man. "Relax, Trepe. Let's just eat and rest ourselves before we burn out."

"Don't you dare do that again, Seifer," she mumbled in a low tone. "You always take chances on anything."

"Can you blame me?" Seifer grinned at her as the bartender walked out from the back room, setting their food in front of them. "It's not every day you can date in the pub with a girl you like."

Quistis halted her movement, staring at the man in shock. Did he just say that…?

Seifer chewed on the bacon, raising his eyebrow to her.

"What?" he said, muffled with food in his mouth. "You don't know that?"

"Did you by any chance just say that you..."

Seifer rolled his eyes. "I said it, Trepe. Close your mouth, flies will fly right in there."

Quistis shut her mouth and turned her head away from him, staring at the plate.

_Is this for real…?_ She glanced to the man who just confessed, but he didn't seem to care. Seifer continued to sip on his espresso, munching on his egg as if nothing happened. After a while, he looked at her, annoyed.

"Eat, Trepe. I'll pay."

"I—" Quistis shook her head. "…I just have a strangest dream."

"While you're awake?" He was amused at her confused look.

"Yes… the strangest and scariest nightmare… I just dreamt that you said you have a fondness for me!" Quistis put her hand to her chest, exhaling in relief. "Thank goodness it's just a nightmare…"

He scowled at her. "Nightmare?" He snorted when the woman hurriedly focused on her meal. "Nice one, Trepe. I won't back off on that. You want me to say it again?"

She munched on her bacon and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Almasy? Is there any chances for this dialogue turn to be a nice and educated conversation?"

"Agh!" Seifer groaned, upset at her evasion. "I'll say it again. I. Like—"

"No!" She covered her ears with her hands. "This is a nightmare!"

"Damn it, Quis!" Seifer pulled her hand away from her ear. "I like you! I like Quistis Trepe! There!"

She crunched her eyes shut, covering her ears again. "This is a dream, a dream, a dream… The strangest nightmare… a dream…"

Seifer smacked his head in exasperation. After glaring at her for a while, he shook his head. "I'll say it again later. Just eat."

The instructor opened her eyes and sighed in relief. She pulled her hands away from her ears and reached for her plate, wishing for the time when he would say it again never came. If it was someone else other than him, she could just say sorry and refuse them gently. However, this was Seifer! The most arrogant jerk she ever knew! He would do anything and refuse to back off even with a harsh refusal.

_Why me…?_ She whined to herself, why did I always fail to get what I want and attract bastard instead?_ Am I having the worst luck of all Gaia?_

Lucky for her, Seifer couldn't read her mind.

-x—

-x—

"Quis…"

"Mmm…"

"Quis." Seifer shook her shoulder, waking her up from her sleep. "Wake up. We're leaving."

"…Leave?" Quistis murmured, her face still buried in her crossed arms on the bar counter. "Don't wanna…"

Seifer smiled and moved his head closer. He opened his lips and took her ear in his mouth, nibbling it. The sleepy woman yelped and jolted on her seat, became alert and awake at once. She opened her mouth to yell at him but he moved his head away and gestured to a spot with his head. The soldiers they were following just left the pub from the back door.

"Oh." She sighed. "How long have I been asleep?"

"At least three hours," this came from a bartender that had been watching them behind the bar. "It's seven in the beautiful morning, miss. How are you?"

Quistis's face flushed with embarrassment. She glared at Seifer. "You're supposed to wake me!"

Seifer crossed his arms and smirked, definitely enjoying her shame. "Why would I? By letting you sleep, we just had meals for free!"

Quistis frowned. "…What?"

The bartender brought his hand to his lips, hiding his smile. "You don't feel anything, Miss? He just sold you."

Quistis jumped from the bar seat, screaming in disbelief, "WHAT?" She looked down, checking her body in panic but she still wore her peach-coloured suit. "What did you do, you bastard?"

Seifer waved his hand in ignorance. "I just sold one stroke to your head for a hundred Gil. The soldiers want to caress that blonde hair so bad." He grinned. "You're a good little moneymaker, Trepe."

"YOU WHAT?" Her shout almost broke his eardrum. Seifer cringed and moved his head away when she lunged at him and shoved him with a surprisingly strong force. Seifer fell from the seat as the bartender calmly rested his arms on the counter to look at the scene closer.

The pub in the morning had some casual patrons who were also enjoying the interesting scene. All the soldiers had left at five, going home to take a bit of sleep before work. As Seifer said, they paid a lot of money just to caress her hair while she slept.

Seifer looked up with a grin as the instructor said with a trembling body, "I will kill you, Seifer Almasy. For Hyne's sake I will kill you!"

He laughed and rolled to his side on the floor when she charged at him. Hitting empty air, Quistis shot her learned-from-Squall death glare to her happy subordinate.

"Hey, easy Trepe…" Seifer stood up and opened up his hands. "You had some sleep, I'm not. I had to guard you while you're sleeping and that's not fair, right? So at least both of us are lucky in this…" He showed his straight teeth as the instructor took a deep breath a few times.

"You know…" she said through gritted teeth. "I am _not_ talking to you."

Quistis shook her head and grabbed her backpack, stomping to the back door, leaving the amused Seifer and the patrons. Seifer kept smirking when he took his backpack and ambled to the door.

The bartender called him, "Hey! Here."

The slim man waved his hand, asking the young blond to come back. Frowning, Seifer walked back to the bar. He waited when the bartender pulled out a box from his pocket and showed the contents to him. Seifer stared at the pretty necklace in amazement. The necklace was made from pure silver; the pendant was made from round orange coral with a small white pearl embedded in the centre.

"Nice, right?" The bartender grinned. "Perfect gift for any upset lady, right?"

Seifer grinned back. "How much?"

"Five thousand Gil."

"Three."

"Deal."

-x—

Tapping her foot impatiently on the floor, Rinoa crossed her arms and said once again, "Are you guys done yet?"

Squall raised his hand up, stopping her question. "Wait."

"We have to go!"

He looked up to her from his crouching position on the floor. The squad captain replied to her warning in an annoyed tone, "SeeD Manual Number 27, Code 141: Waiting is the best action when you plan the next course of action in the unknown enemy territory."

Selphie rolled her eyes. She and Zell stood near Rinoa, who huffed and said with impatient tone, "But you guys are playing cards!"

Squall and Watts crouched across each other in the middle of the main cabin, Triple Triad cards spread on the floor in front of them.

"So?" said the captain. "SeeD manual shows the best course of action in every kind of situation, including civilian hostage, mass-murdering psychopath, baby birth, Chocobo racing and…" He put Ifrit card in the top left corner. "I won."

"Aaaaaaahhh Sirrr!" whined Watts when the SeeD captain took the card he had been glinting at from the first time they played two hours ago, Angelo's card. The one and only rare card he got from Rinoa as his birthday present. "Not that one, Sirrr!"

Rinoa glared to the ceiling, wondering about the SeeDs that were supposed to be professional and focused.

_Well, he is in another kind of way…._

Squall collected the card with winning looks glued to his face while Watts bowed his head low. He frowned when he saw two Angelo cards in the room. One was in his hand, the other stood near Rinoa. Oh, wait. It was the real one.

_The real one?_

Squall stared when Rinoa turned around and said to his squad members, "Right, let's go now."

The dog near her feet followed her owner in silence. Squall shoved his Cards inside his backpack and ran out, following three teens and one dog–one very visible large dog—who had left the train.

"Wait!" he yelled, making his group stop in their tracks and turn to him. "The dog's not coming!"

Rinoa tilted her head. She had lost her patience. "Excuse me?"

"I said the dog's not coming!" Squall motioned to the innocent female dog that tilted her head the same way her owner did, making them looked a bit too alike. "This thing is too visible!"

"This thing?" Rinoa growled. Zell and Selphie noticed this, glancing at each other and taking a step back. A few steps back, to be exact.

"This thing will blow our cover!" yelled Squall, trying to make his point across. "SeeD manual Number 43 Code 151: anything that will blow SeeD cover, including animal, tattoo, unique clothes and unfamiliar appearance, are to be excluded in—"

"Heartily Rules!" shouted Rinoa, raising one of her hands up, stopping the captain's speech at once. "Number one: wherever Rinoa goes, Angelo will go too!"

Angelo barked when she heard her name mentioned by her owner, waving her tail happily. Selphie glanced down to her clothes. She and Zell had changed their clothes, currently using the usual black T-shirts and jeans instead of her yellow jumper and his blue baggy pants. About the hair, it couldn't be helped. Her hair still curled up all the way and Zell was still on his spikes, but they did look normal. Somehow.

Squall stared at the dog and the stubborn girl back and forth. "But…"

"Number two!" Rinoa showed two fingers in her hand. "The card obsessed captain will NOT change Heartily Rule number one, whether it's raining, sunny or he just wants to play cards in between!"

"Obsessed?" That one brought his attention. "I'm not obsessed!"

"Yeah, Squall, you are," Zell said, looking away when Squall glared at him. "Let's go already…"

Squall glared to Selphie who said, "The captain's not obsessed with cards…."

**There is a limit to lies, little lady.**

_There is never a limit for white lies to captain card-maniac Leonhart, Ifrit!_ Selphie smiled to Squall who nodded, satisfied for the answer he had forced out of her.

"Number three!" Rinoa kept adding the Heartily Rules. "The money I obtained for paying SeeDs was coming from my own account and Angelo's prize money for winning dog contests! Therefore, we both are your client! I demand the same treatment between the two of us!"

"That won't be hard," growled Squall as his client turned away and started walking to town. "That won't be hard at all."

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	13. Timber TV Presents

Strange FF world - there is _no_ _cell phone_ in Gaia. There are satellites, moon base, computer, telephone and cable TV but there is _no cell phone_. If there is any Quistis only have to call Garden after the TV station incident, and the journey won't happen. Which is why I make PCS works like a cell phone and the cost to obtain one is high. The PCS itself is not a real tool in FF8, I supposed to make it PHS to duplicate the one in FF7 but I missed a letter and... Well, let's just consider PCS as PHS. ;P

* * *

**Chapter XIII - Timber TV Presents: Garden Bully versus Hyper Cheerleader!**

* * *

Seifer peeked out from his hiding place behind the railing. "Tell me again why we should do this?"

Quistis crouched behind the railing across him. "Because you are a fool and by charging with your usual bastard way, you will kill both of us."

Seifer scowled to his captain. "And why we do this waiting thing?"

They hid behind the railing of iron stairs that was located all the way to Timber TV Station, waiting for the right time to sneak in. Nida had informed her just a few minutes earlier that President was there, and more likely their 'fish' as well. They also saw four soldiers they followed earlier entering the TV station.

Quistis kept her eyes on the two guards standing outside the TV station. "Just watch." She narrowed her eyes to two guards who stood quite far from them and whispered, "I command thee… sleep!"

Seifer raised his eyebrow in surprise when the guards fell down to the ground few seconds later. "…You command them? You can do that?"

"Not exactly." Quistis stood up. She paced through the unconscious guards, walking to the door with Seifer followed behind her. "It's just the usual status magic, only I can do it a bit better than normal people."

"Heh." Seifer smirked when she carefully opened up the door and peeked inside. "You really are a good moneymaker, Trepe. We can use this to our advantage, like—"

Quistis sighed. "Shut up, Seifer."

-x—

"Here it is." The female shopkeeper handed him his upgraded gunblade, properly called Shear Trigger. "Thank you for using our services."

Squall was inspecting his new gunblade with a content expression when Rinoa leaned her body to the wall near the door, with Angelo sat next to her. Zell and Selphie waited outside. They had been waiting inside with her, but one and half an hour was too long for the two hyperactive teens to stay quiet.

Squall nodded, he was satisfied with the quality, sheathing his gunblade with the careful and gentle swift. Rinoa followed him out, Angelo was trailing behind.

"Let's go." Squall looked at his watch. "I'm very sorry the upgrade took so long, everyone."

"Naaah, it's fine…" Zell waved his hand. "The TV station is behind the pub, over there." He motioned to a small lane behind the Timber Maniacs building. "Squall… I gotta talk to you." He walked to the lane first, gesturing Squall to follow.

Frowning, the captain walked to him in a far enough range from the girls to be able to hear it. "What is it?"

"Squall…" Zell stood next to him. "Can I borrow your money?"

Squall grew silent.

Zell glanced at him. "…I can't?"

"…I'm not buying another Card you took from me without my consent."

"No, no! Not that!" Zell shook his head. "I need money for taking back Ma's necklace…"

"…" Squall sighed and put his palm over his face. "Are you betting on something?" He rolled his eyes when Zell opened his mouth to answer. "No, wait. I don't want to know. How much…?"

"Six hundred and forty Gil…" Zell accepted the bill Squall took from his own wallet. "Thanks, man, I owe you."

"I want it returned after the mission."

"Yeah, sure." Zell turned to the two girls. "Let's go, Rinoa! Selph!"

-x—

They heard a sound of machine upstairs and stared at each other.

Seifer shrugged and waved his hand in mocking manner, letting his captain went upstairs first. Quistis scanned her surroundings when she set her foot on the second floor. The stair area was adjacent to two rooms. There were many noises came from a room with 'studio' written on the door. Seifer who followed right behind her looked around.

"This is it?" he said. "There is nothing in here. Better check on the studio."

Just then, they heard a voice downstairs, "I really don't know why they sleep on the job, Mr. President! I'll make sure they are severely punished! Now, right this way, Mr. President!"

The two SeeDs barged into a storeroom right next to the studio. Seifer closed the storeroom door two seconds before President Deling arrived on the second floor.

"So, Mr. President!" the voice was heard once more. "Is that true you get a kidnapping threat from Timber teens before you arrive?"

"Those little twerps," said another voice, no doubt belonged to the president. "I just showed them to not to underestimate me."

"Yes, yes, Mr. President!" said the excited voice once again. "How dare them to think they can kidnap the most powerful man in Galbadia!"

"… In the world," said the President in an arrogant tone.

"Mr. President…?"

"I will be the most powerful man in the world in a few hours, after the broadcast have been aired."

"Oh! Yes, yes, Mr. President! Of course you will!"

Seifer heard the conversation clearly. He glared at the door that separated them and the president, hoping he could chop the man's body in two. Quistis noticed this and nudged his arms.

"What is it?"

"That man is delusional," Seifer said. "He is a dictator, that's why we're fighting him." He frowned, realizing how close he was to the Timber Owls' enemy, and how easy it was to kill him without too many securities around them.

"We…?" Quistis moved her head closer to him, studying the man. "…Seifer, are you one of the Timber teens they were talking about?"

"Timber Owls," said Seifer, his head was figuring how to do the deeds. _I can do it! I can kill the president… First, I will force him to liberate Timber and then…_

Quistis's eyes widened when she finally comprehended what he want to do. "Seifer!" She shook his shoulder. "Seifer! Look at me!"

The boy turned to her.

"Don't do anything that will endanger our mission!" ordered his captain. "You hear me?"

Seifer frowned, moving his eyes away from her.

"Seifer!" Quistis gripped his arms. "Don't! You listen to me? This is captain's order! Seifer!"

-x—

Squall took a step back when the soldier pointed his gun at him. He unsheathed his gunblade and moved forward. Another soldier started to attack Zell. His bayonet swung towards the martial artist, but Zell spun to his left and evaded the blade.

Rinoa raised her hand and shouted, "Aero!" She threw a gust of wind from her hand to the soldier who was fighting Squall. The soldier screamed when the gale crashed his limb. Selphie's mouth opened in astonishment at Rinoa's magic.

"Wow! That is so cool!"

Wih his gunblade, Squall separated the soldier's body from his head. Rinoa grimaced at the sight. When Selphie realized that Zell was still fighting another soldier, she swung her Nunchaku towards the soldier's feet. The soldier lost his balance, falling down. Zell took the chance to jam his fist to the soldier's temple without any hesitation.

Rinoa looked disturbed at that. "Do you guys really have to do that?" she asked with a flinch of disgust.

Zell looked up and said, "Yeah, we're in cover, right? We can't let these soldiers tell anyone."

Rinoa frowned when she saw him said that without any emotion. "I mean, is that really necessary?"

"Yeah," replied him again. "We don't do unnecessary killing."

She arched her eyebrow, imagining the situation. "Is there anything such as necessary killing?" The prospect of killing itself was unbearable for her.

Crouching down, Squall wiped the blood away from his gunblade with clothes of the fallen soldier. He made an effort to keep the shine on his new Shear Trigger. Zell dashed into the pub, leaving Rinoa, Selphie and Angelo with him.

Two soldiers had identified them as the teens from the resistance team. They attacked the SeeDs and Rinoa without waiting for an explanation, so they had to do this. Sometimes Squall wondered why his so-called-enemies had thought, that they could defeat them: the group of teens who were trained to kill since they were five. Squall took Buel card from the corpse of one soldier behind him, standing up and motioning the girls to enter the pub. He sheathed his gunblade away, still in an effort to keep his new gunblade unscathed.

When Selphie walked inside the familiar pub, the first thing she heard was…

"What do you mean he sold it?" Zell's body trembled as he shouted to the bartender. He was a tall middle aged man, not the one they met yesterday.

"Sorry." The bartender shrugged. "That's my brother for you."

"But he promised to keep it!" Zell said. "It's not even noon yet!"

"Hey, don't yell at me. It's not my problem. If you want to complain, wait until nighttime when it is his shift again. Seriously, I don't care. Not my problem. You're lucky he told me to tell you that."

Zell gritted his teeth, glaring at the bulky bartender who ignored him.

Squall, who had grasped what happened yesterday said to him, "Zell... Lay it off." He glared at the blond, daring him to disobey his order. Zell glared back at him, but soon looked away and sighed.

"I've had enough of this city!" The voice came from a man who slumped on the back door, drawing their attention to him. "I came from Dollet to have me a good time. Now trains are no longer running... Can't stay in a hotel because of some stupid official...! Harassed by Galbadian soldiers... Had my precious Card stolen... Those jerks think they can use brute force to get anything they want. Everything's jacked up because the resistance tried to kidnap the president... All because of them. Don't they understand I'm the one suffering from their reckless actions? Stupid, boneheaded, good-for-nothing resistance! You can just kiss my—"

"Hey!" Rinoa shouted. Angelo barked, sensing her master's annoyance.

One of the patrons stood up from his seat. "You don't understand anything! The resistance is fighting for Timber's future! They're all doing the best they can. It's the Galbadian soldiers and their leader who are at fault!"

"Pshhh..." The drifter scowled.

Squall stared at the card in his hand and walked to him, showing the Buel Card. "Is this yours?"

"…Eeh?" The drifter stood up, taking the card from his hand. He smiled at the boy. "Yeah! It is! Hey, thanks! Glad to know there's some nice kids around here!"

"No problem." Squall pointed at the door behind him. "We need to go there."

"Oh! Sure!" The drifter stepped to the side. "Hey… you know! I'm feeling good right now, so you can keep it!" He shoved the Buel Card into Squall's hand. "And this too…! I haven't played that much anyway!" He pulled out a card from his pocket and put it in the captain's other hand. "Well, G'luck!"

Squall raised his eyebrow when he saw Tonberry Card in his hand. He nodded to the man and muttered, "Thanks," before leaving the pub.

_Let me just get it straight…_ he thought, pocketing his newly acquired cards as he waited for his team to follow, _he just whined about losing his card, and now he's giving me two cards? Why was he whining then…? Nice kids? I just want to pass through…_

When the three teens caught up to him in the alley, he said to Rinoa, "Too many of us might draw unwanted attention. Which one of us you want to wait in the pub?"

Rinoa looked around, considering between Zell and Selphie. It wasn't hard to choose, because in five seconds she replied, "Selph, can you stay here and look after Angelo?"

Selphie looked disappointed, murmuring, "Of course… go ahead and choose the strong guys. Come, Angelo." She turned around and entered the bar, Angelo in tow.

Rinoa stuttered, "It's not what I—" but Selphie had left. Sighing, she turned to Squall and pointed ahead. "Let's just go."

They climbed a set of iron stairs halfway up when Zell pointed.

"Whoa, check it out, an outdoor TV!"

Squall saw the gigantic television on the wall.

_What the—they placed a big TV like this in the back alley? _Squall frowned in confusion. _No one will see it. They placed this thing here instead of the centre of the town. Only alley cats will see this. Behind the pub nonetheless, where this thing could easily be snatched and sold. Sometimes people failed at logic..._

The television flickered and let out a weird noise.

"This is creepy..." Rinoa said. "What is it?"

Squall crossed his arms. "This noise is broadcast over most of the frequencies. Something has to be done about this before they can broadcast it over the air."

"Sir!" echoed a voice behind them. The group moved their eyes to the back alley, where Watts showed up. "The president's in the studio now, sir. Too many guards now, so we won't be able to storm the place, sir!" He nodded to Rinoa before retreated back to the pub.

Rinoa put her index finger in her lower lips, thinking aloud. "So we can't just rush in... We have to come up with a new plan now! If the president leaves, maybe the guards will be gone, too. That is when we do OUR broadcast. It might not be as influential but it is better than nothing, right? We don't stand a chance if we take them head on, right?"

She stared at Squall, who shrugged and replied, "Don't worry about us. We will fight your enemies based on your decision. That's our duty."

Zell nodded. "You tell us to go, we go. Even if it's a losing battle."

The girl obviously didn't expect that kind of reaction from them. Her face looked disappointed. "How sad... Act on my decision? That is your duty? Oh, what an easy life it must be, just to follow orders..."

Squall arched his brow, starting to feel annoyed.

_Easy life? How easy it is for you to measure us that way._

"Call it what you want," he retorted. "All we want is for you to achieve your goal using our help. I find it hard to believe that you can do it, though..."

Zell's brow rose high. He glared at Squall, trying wordlessly to remind him that _she_ was a client. Unfortunately, Rinoa had heard him. She turned to him, glaring at the boy.

"W-What did you say? If you have something to say, just say it!"

Squall almost replied to her tone, but Zell waved frantically at him behind Rinoa's back. He understood the sign. He looked away and mumbled, "Just forget it."

"Tell me," Rinoa growled. "This is an order. An order from your client!"

_Fine, I will tell you!_

Squall turned to her, his words went out easy and cold, "How serious are you really...? The three of you plopped down on the floor to discuss strategy. On top of that, you can't make a decision without our input, right? How do you think we feel, working for such organization?"

Zell sighed. "Squall…"

The captain kept his stare to the girl, who looked like she was ready to fall apart and cry.

She bit her lip. "You know... Maybe this was all just a big mistake. I thought everything would work out fine once SeeD came to help us. But, I guess it's not that easy. You were all hired. It's not like you're one of us." She tried to look cheerful, despite the tears that had started to swell up in her eyes. "Um, let's see... We'll cancel the plan, and we'll disperse for now. We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right? So... you guys probably think this is all a game to us. Well, it's not!" She walked down the stairs, mumbling, "We're serious. So serious... it hurts."

Zell and Squall stared at her back when she ran away, disappearing into the alley.

-x—

-x—

"Come on, little girl. Stop pouting."

Selphie crossed her arms on top of the bar counter, sulking. "I'm not pouting."

Angelo sat next to her chair, yawning and placed her head on top of her paws. They sat in the pub for ten minutes, but Selphie already felt bored.

The bartender who was standing behind the bar said, "So, anything you want to drink? You have to drink something. You want milk or juice?"

"I don't want anything!" Selphie puffed, resting her chin against her crossed arms.

The bartender sighed. Then, he bent down and pulled out something from the counter drawer. He showed the TV remote to her. "Wanna see something? 'Gold Saucer Chocobo racing' is on air now."

Selphie glanced at the television hanging above the bar. "Okay."

The bartender switched on the television. The screen blinked, showing an image of a man in a pinstriped suit standing behind a podium.

"That's not 'Chocobo Racing'…" Selphie said. The voice from the television echoed, filling the pub.

"—seventeen years since a live broadcast has been possible! Oh, please excuse me... I seem to have lost my composure. We would like to present to you today a message from the lifelong President of Galbadia, Vinzer Deling. Ladies and gentlemen, President Deling."

The bartender grimaced when the Galbadian President walked to the podium and the announcer retreated. "You've got to be kidding… they halt 'Gold Saucer' and 'Cloud the Mako' for this?"

President Deling looked around. Maybe he thought it would increase his charisma. That would be hard when he actually had a unique face, the one only his mother would love. "Greetings, I am Vinzer Deling, lifelong president of Galbadia. Today, I stand before you to make the proposition. I offer you the power to end all wars."

"See, see!" Selphie said. "It is a peace proposal to the world. I knew it!"

Deling continued, "Unfortunately, there are some trifling problems standing between Galbadia and other nations, and they must be resolved. I plan to convene with other nations' leaders immediately to resolve these problems. At this time, allow me to introduce the ambassador who will be my representative for the conference."

"Huh?" Selphie tilted her head. "Ambassador?"

The president carried on, "The ambassador is the Sorceress..."

"Whaaat?" Selphie shouted. "No way!"

At that moment, there was a loud voice from the background. Selphie watched as Seifer ran on the screen and grabbed Deling by his collar. Some soldiers tried to restrain him, but he knocked and kicked them over, and the camera stand, too, in the process.

"Wha—" Selphie stared at the television screen, stuttering, "C-captain?" Then she saw Quistis showed up on screen. "Heeey! Instructor Trepe!" Selphie jumped off her seat. "What are they doing here?"

The bartender looked at her. "Almasy's a friend of yours?"

"Yeah!" Selphie gazed at the television. "I don't understand—wait a minute. How do you know his last name?"

The bartender watched, as the armed guards were ready to attack Seifer. Quistis pulled her whip and shouted "Stay back!" before swinging her whip on them.

Then the bartender shrugged. "Almasy's one of Timber Owls. He's Princess' boyfriend."

At that moment, Selphie's head went blank.

On the screen, Quistis turned to the knocked-over camera. "Timber Team, are you still watching?" she asked. "Get over here right now! You HAVE permission! I need your help!"

Selphie looked up at the television. Then, she heard Angelo barking. She turned her eyes to the back door and saw Rinoa enter. Her eyes were teary and she was looking down.

At once in a lifetime moment, Selphie decided to do the right thing. She ran to the back door, surprising Rinoa in the process. Rinoa stepped aside as the girl bolted away.

Selphie couldn't stop herself from shouting, "Angelo! Come!"

"What?" Rinoa gasped when Angelo followed the spoken command right away. She watched when her dog tailed Selphie out. "Wait! Where are you going with my dog? Selphie!"

-x—

-x—

"We need to restrain him!" Quistis said. She was relieved when she saw Squall and Zell running into the studio. Then the two teens framed Seifer and the president he was holding onto, glaring at him.

The gunblade boy didn't die. Quistis was very thankful for that.

"What do you think you're doing?" Squall's growl echoed in the room.

Seifer snorted, his Hyperion glued to Deling's neck. "It's obvious, ain't it? What are you planning to do with this guy?"

Squall frowned. "Planning to do?"

"I get it!" Zell shouted, pointing at him. "You're Rinoa's..."

"Shut your damn mouth! Chicken-wuss!" shouted Seifer.

Squall stared at Quistis, demanding an explanation. After struggling for an answer, Quistis said, "…He broke out of the disciplinary room, injuring many in the process."

Seifer stared at Quistis in surprise. Then, his eyes sparkled with humour. Apparently, even now, she was still going to obey orders. Including one that said they should keep their mission secret.

"YOU STUPID IDIOT!" yelled Zell.

_Zell, please…_ "Be quiet," Squall said.

However, his ex-roommate refused to listen. He turned to Quistis. "Instructor, I know!" He exclaimed. "You're going to take this stupid idiot back to Garden, right?"

"Shut up! NO!" Squall shouted at him.

It was too late. Zell covered his own mouth in shock when he realized what he had said. President Deling sneered, staring at them. He managed to look smug even when the gunblade was on his neck.

"I see... You're all from Garden. Should anything happen to me, the entire Galbadian military will undoubtedly crush Garden. You can let go of me now."

"Nice going, Chicken-wuss!" Seifer shouted to the martial artist. "You and your stupid big mouth!"

Zell looked down in remorse as the tall man dragged Deling out of the room. The three SeeDs had no choice but to follow them carefully. Squall glanced to the camera. He knew what Seifer was about to do. He was about to kill Deling outside the range of the camera, then jumped over the window.

It was obvious that Seifer had lost his mind.

The others had not entered yet when Seifer was in the centre of the back room. He looked around studying the room. There was a window behind him, all he needed to do was to break the glass and flee after he killed Deling.

"Poor, poor boy..." a voice echoed.

His eyes widened as he snapped his head to his left. A woman appeared out of nowhere, pacing towards him. She dressed in black; her face was elegant and eerie at the same time. Seifer recognized her.

_Matron? No…_

He stepped back from her in horror, dragging Deling with him, trying to stay away from the woman.

"Stay away from me!" He yelled to her, grasping Deling's collar tighter unconsciously, making the President cough for air.

"Such a confused little boy," the woman cooed as she walked closer. "Are you going to step forward? Or will you retreat? You have to decide."

"Stay back!" Seifer waved his free hand, trying to shove her away.

_No, this isn't Matron. Matron didn't have this aura._

_This isn't Matron._

Quistis ran into the room. She saw them and shouted, "Seifer!"

Without glancing at her, the woman raised her hand and whispered, "Stop."

Quistis froze in place.

"The boy in you is telling you to come." The woman carried on, her eyes never escaped Seifer's. "The adult in you is telling you to back off. You can't make up your mind. You don't know the right answer. You want help, don't you? You want to be saved from this predicament."

"Shut up!" Seifer shouted.

"Don't be ashamed to ask for help. Besides, you're only a little boy."

"I'm not... Stop calling me a boy," he whispered.

Her face was so familiar. It was the face of his guardian, the face of his true family. The only face he dreamt about at night.

She was Matron.

"You don't want to be a boy anymore?" The woman held out her hand.

"I am not a BOY!" Seifer covered his ears with both of his hands. He let Deling scamper away leaving the room.

"Come with me to a place of no return," she spoke softly. Her hand reached out for his, she was standing in front of him. "Bid farewell to your childhood."

_My childhood? _Seifer stared at her. His hands slowly fell from his ears.

_Why should I bid farewell to my childhood? The one you're in? _

…_Matron?_

He looked into her dark eyes, trying to find the answer. The woman smiled to him. He felt the surge of strange and frightening force overpowering him.

"Seifer!" Squall and Zell ran in. Again, without breaking her eye contact with Seifer, the woman tossed her burst of magic to them. The boys could only stare as they went static.

The blonde SeeD felt nothing but void… when he reached her hand.

"Instructor Trepe! Captain!" Selphie's voice echoed in the room, the owner entered in time as she saw Seifer's hand joined with the woman. "No! What happened?" She ran to them.

The woman raised her hand to her, this time whispering with a bit of annoyance in her tone, "Stop."

Selphie felt her body froze, staring in disbelief as Seifer held the woman's hand. She had no idea what happened, but she knew that she should not let him go.

She would _not_ let him go with her.

She screamed in her head, _Diablos! Ifrit! Help me!_

**I'm on it.**

**_Ooh, it's her… right on. It's going to be sweet..._**

The woman turned her back on Selphie. She had no idea what hit her, causing her to fumble and let Seifer's hand go. She fell forward, managing to support herself in time before her face crashed onto the floor. The woman turned her head, trying to see what had happened.

A giant red monster was standing on her left. His face was expressionless; he crossed his arms and looked down at her. A dark skinned giant beast with a long claw and sneering face was on her right. He showed his long teeth, letting out an eerie laugh.

**_We meet again, woman…_** the long-clawed beast lunged his claw at her. The woman rolled her body to the side and evaded the attack on time. **_Aw, come on… no greeting kisses? How about a hug?_**

Quistis's eyes widened as she watched the scene. Her eyes flickered to Selphie, who stood stagnant in place.

_It can't be. There was no history of GF summoning without spoken command. Let alone any report about the GFs making physical contact! They talk and there are two of them… how can one holder let out two GFs at the same time?_ Her eyes moved back to Ifrit, who knocked the bewildered Seifer out by throwing him onto the wall.

Seifer tumbled to the floor, passing out.

**_Let's play!_** Diablos raised his hands, jamming his claws at the woman. She stood back and hurriedly dodged the GF's aggression. **_Aw, come on… _**

The woman glared to the beast before throwing her look around the room, trying to find the one who had summoned them.

**What are you looking for?** Ifrit reached to Seifer and scooped him, raising him up with his hand. **This is the one you're looking for? **

The woman glared at the red monster, lurching back as Diablos, once again, attacked her. She glared to the humans, trying desperately to find the summoner.

**Away, woman, **Ifrit said. **Do not even think about it. You will not be able to find out who was the one.**

**_Here it coooomess!_** Diablos made a move to tackle her. The woman fumbled back, letting out an angry snarl from her throat. Her eyes searched frantically around the room. All of the humans stopped in their spot.

It couldn't be. There was no summoner?

"Woof!"

She heard a dog. The woman stared with wide eyes when a dog peeked out behind the smallest girl and growled at her.

The summoner was a dog?

**_Woooooo! _**Diablos shouted, tackling her. The woman snarled in annoyance as she dashed to the window, eluding his claws. Her eyes fixed on Seifer's limp body on Ifrit's hand. Once again evading the careless attack from Diablos, she mumbled something.

Ifrit narrowed his eyes. **Oh, no, you wouldn't. **He turned to Selphie, putting Seifer's body beside her. Selphie glanced to the unconscious blonde. The red monster was studying the humans before his gaze met Quistis's. He pointed at her.

**You,** he said, **bless them.**

If Quistis could frown, she would do so. Nevertheless, she could only stare back in confusion.

The spell the woman was about to finish already showing its effect. Her body and Seifer emitted glowing lights. She continued to mutter her spell while stepping away from Diablos' attacks.

**_Give it up, woman! Doing the ceremony now? Are you THAT desperate?_** Diablos kept trying to hurt the woman. **_Take another man! Leave!_**

Selphie watched in panic as Seifer's body began to rise up from the floor. Ifrit let out a growl and ordered in higher tones, **Quistis Trepe. Bless your friends now or she will win.**

_Win what? _Quistis looked at Selphie and the rising body of Seifer. _How can I bless if I can't talk?_

Somehow, the GF understood. **Mind bless.**

_Oh, okay. _Quistis stared at Seifer. _…I bless them?_

Ifrit opened his mouth and let out some words. Squall blinked when he realized it was exactly the same spell as what the woman had uttered.

**_Oooo, cool…_** Diablos chuckled, stopping himself from attacking the woman. **_Two against one, huh? _**He pointed at Quistis. **_Hey, do it right, Blondie! Bless them seriously!_**

Quistis wanted to yell back if she could. Instead, she just rolled her eyes and retorted inside her brain. _All right. I bless Selphie Tilmitt and Seifer Almasy. In whatever they are supposed to be now. _She stared in amazement because when she finished thinking about it, Selphie's body began to glow.

Selphie looked at Quistis in surprise.

…_I bless them!_ Quistis shouted in her mind, now realizing that her words did affect them. _I bless Selphie Tilmitt and Seifer Almasy! I bless them! I bless them!_

The woman let out an angry voice when Seifer's body fell to the floor. She stopped her chant, breathing in pain as if she had been doing something painful.

Selphie cried inwardly when the light erupted, wrapping both her and Seifer in blinding lights. It was excruciating, as if something pulled the insides of her body out by force. As if the power burned her body in flames and ripped her to shreds.

Zell, Squall and Quistis shut their eyes when the bright light exploded inside the room. Quistis fell down to the floor when the light was gone. She tried to move her body and let out a relieved sigh. She was free from the spell. She looked around, catching the glimpse of Ifrit and Diablos a moment before they disappeared back into Selphie's unconscious form. Squall and Zell also tried to move their body and glanced around, trying to understand what they just saw. Quistis stood up, hand gripping her whip. She didn't see the woman.

"Where is that woman?" Zell asked quietly. "She's gone?"

Quistis looked down to the unconscious Seifer and Selphie. They both lay on the floor, side to side. She frowned when she saw a mark on Selphie's collarbone, just above the line of her black T-shirt. Quistis crouched, touching the mark. The mark was small green, shaped like a diamond. It wasn't there before.

Somehow, she knew the same mark was now decorating Seifer's collarbone as well.

She had blessed them in a ritual, and the mark was the proof.

The problem was that she had no idea what the ritual was.

* * *

**_To be continued…_**

* * *

A/N: I never said it 'd be _exactly_ like the game, remember? :)


	14. The Revelation

**Chapter XIV: The Revelation**

* * *

"Well," Squall began. "We have to get them out of here."

Quistis shook Selphie's shoulder, trying to wake her up. But the girl didn't even stir. She shook her shoulder rougher and still got no reaction. Sighing, she scooped Selphie into her arms and secured her head in the crook of her neck before standing up slowly.

"I'll go first," she said, turning to the two boys watching her. "You guys carry Seifer."

"Why don't I carry Selph and you two carry him?" offered Zell, looking hopeful to the motionless body in her arms.

"It's okay, she's very light," declined Quistis, walking away. "Hurry up. The soldiers will come soon."

Zell pouted. "That's not what I mean…" He scoffed when Squall nudged him and gestured to the fainted blond. "Yeah, yeah. Damn it, you do realize he's unbelievably heavy, right?"

"Sadly, I know," Squall stated, crouching down, taking one of Seifer's arms. He circled it to his neck. "Hurry up, Zell."

The other teen complied with a huff. Together, they circled Seifer's arms around their shoulders and supported him before getting up.

"Ready?" whispered Squall. "One, two, three!" They almost fell down from his weight as they struggled to stand. The boys plopped down on their knees.

"What the fricking Hyne!" wailed Zell, he couldn't believe how heavy this man was. "One, two, three!"

Squall grunted as they stood up. How Seifer could become this heavy? He never ate much, he exercised more than anyone, and he carried his big gunblade anywhere…

Zell panted as they managed to get up straight. Squall ogled Hyperion on Seifer's hips. "Zell, take his gunblade."

"What?" Zell asked between his set of short breaths.

"It's okay, leave him to me. Take off his gunblade."

Zell circled his arm to Seifer's hips, unlocking the gunblade holster. He grabbed the gunblade and moved away from Seifer. Squall expected to fall down, but Seifer's weight decreased. Zell looked down to Hyperion in his arms.

"Whoa! This was the cause? He carried a weapon this heavy?"

Squall moved Seifer to his back and bent down, securing his knees in the loop of his arms before standing up straight. Now, this kind of weight, he could manage.

"Hurry up," he said, striding out of the station as fast as he could with a man on his back.

Zell dragged Hyperion on the floor, creating screeching sounds as they left.

Rinoa was waiting for them. When they entered the pub, her face shone in happiness at seeing Seifer. Squall spotted Quistis sit on the corner with Selphie unconscious on her lap. Her head leaned on Quistis's shoulder.

"Seifer!" whispered Rinoa, walking to Squall's side and checking her ex-boyfriend's condition gently. "Is he okay? I saw the TV and I—"

"He's fine," Squall said.

"They found our base," informed Rinoa, a bit taken aback. "It's completely destroyed."

"And everyone else?" asked Zell.

"They're fine. They're good at escaping." She looked at all of them, but her eyes fixed to Quistis longer than necessary. "We have to stay away from Timber for a while. Is there a safe place you can take me? This is an order, an order from your client, remember?"

Squall shifted, securing Seifer on his back for a more comfortable position. He didn't want to take the Timber Owl princess _anywhere_. He had enough trouble as it was. The trouble meant a blond on his back and another blond dragging the gunblade and fidgeting nervously in his trail.

"...Alright." Great, what did he just agree on? He just loved to add more trouble, didn't he?

"I have a friend, she agreed to take all of us into her home," continued Rinoa, satisfied with Squall's answer. "We just have to stay in her home until it was safe to leave this place."

Quistis stood up, already scooping Selphie in her arms. She didn't say anything. The group watched her as she strode to the door.

Sensing the questioning glances, she turned around and said, "Well? What are you waiting for, Captain? Come on."

Squall blinked in surprise.

Zell tilted his head. "Captain?" he said. "Whoa. Instructor is calling you Captain, Squall?"

The leader frowned. That was weird. It wasn't wrong, but Trepe calling him Captain was… unexpected. He was thinking she would call him Squall or at least introducing herself to Rinoa, but Quistis looked ready to storm off without them.

The group left the pub, following Rinoa as she pointed in various directions and exclaiming: "This way!" or "Right here!" until they stopped in front of a house next to Timber Maniacs.

"This is it." Rinoa opened the door without hesitation.

Everyone followed her walking inside. The inside of the house was small, but looked cosy. There was a stairwell leading up to the second floor to the left and the living room was also the dining area, with a square table placed in the centre of the room, draped with green tablecloth and surrounded by several chairs. The kitchen was in the corner of the room, with one big sofa placed beside the fridge.

A woman sat on it, she smiled and waved to them, standing up as Rinoa walked to her.

"I'll let you know if anything changes," she said. "Till then, make yourself at home."

"Thanks, chief." Rinoa looked at Squall's group. "Everyone, meet Chief. She's the leader of the 'Forest Fox'. Almost everyone's a resistance member in this town," she explained with prideful tone. "But right now, we're the only ones that are really active. Let's stay here for a while."

"I still don't get it," Zell muttered. "What did Seifer come here for?"

Squall glanced at Quistis, but the blond woman kept her eyes at the window looking outside. She didn't answer the question for Zell, who also looked at her and expected her to answer.

"I think..." Rinoa murmured, "He came to help us, the 'Forest Owls'. I talked about it a lot with him. So please... don't think too badly of him."

"We can ask him when he wakes up," said Squall.

"Anybody in here!" echoed a voice from the outside.

Squall's eyes widened. Rinoa, the only one who didn't hold anything, leaned to the wall beside the door and grasp her projectile weapon. She pointed her arms to the door, ready to shoot anything coming through right now.

The Chief answered to the voice, "What is this! I have two small children in here. Don't do anything to frighten them!"

Just as everyone was thinking how to fight another battle with people and heavy items in their hands, a teenage girl strode down the stairs.

She whispered to them, "Upstairs... Hurry!"

Rinoa ran to her moving team, turning her eyes to the door where Chief was standing. "Will she be ok?" she asked.

"She'll be fine." The girl waved her hand. "The legend goes... that my mother took down many soldiers with her strength, cooking, and beauty."

"Err… beauty?" Zell bit his lip before he said anything else. "Yeah, uh, right."

-x-

"Quistis," Squall called after they had all found a spot to lounge.

They had walked upstairs and the Chief's daughter showed them a room where they could settle in. Quistis gently lay Selphie in the bed while Squall carelessly threw Seifer next to her. Zell set Hyperion next to the bed then lumbered to the corner and sat down, dragging his knees up and hugging it. He didn't look as cheerful as usual, no swatting flies or as he said 'shadow boxing' at all. Rinoa sat on the only available chair, while Quistis leaned on the window frame, arms crossed. Squall leaned on the wall near the bed, thinking about what had happened. He had waited, but the only conscious person who knew what it was all about didn't say a word.

"Can you explain what actually happened?"

Quistis didn't look at him, but she replied, "He was so angry when he found out it was only the three of you dispatched to Timber. 'What! They might end up fighting the whole Galbadian force! And all they dispatch are three rookie SeeD members! Damn it! I'm going to Timber!' I never would have guessed he was serious about it."

Squall rolled his eyes. _He's always serious, _he thought._ You should know that by now..._

"What do you think happened now?" asked Rinoa, concerned.

"The president of Galbadia and the sorceress joined forces," Quistis stated. "If things didn't work out, we will get executed for attempted murder of a President."

"What?" cried Rinoa, standing up. "No! I mean… We can't—" she stuttered, looking at Squall. "Is that true? All of us will be hunted down? I… don't know it will be like this! I mean… surely this kind of misunderstanding can be cleared, right?"

"No, it won't," answered Quistis. Rinoa glared at her. "I don't think it will be solved."

"You can't say that!"

_Think what you want._ Squall leaned his head back. _Reality isn't so kind. Everything doesn't work out the way you want it to. That's why..._

"As long as you don't get your hopes up, you can take anything..." he said, "you feel less pain. Anyway, whatever wish you have is none of my business."

Rinoa narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. "You're mean. MEANY!"

Squall raised his brow. _What's with her...?_

Before he had a chance to retort, he heard a grunt. Squall noticed that Seifer was conscious at last.

"What…" Seifer sat up, groaning. He almost fell down as Rinoa lunged at him. "What happened?"

Zell glanced at him from his womb position, saying nothing. He drew his knees tighter to his chest and set his chin on it. As if it was more than a coincidence, Selphie stirred up soon after. She wobbled slightly as she tried to stand up.

"…Guys? Oww… what happened?"

Quistis studied them. "How are you, Selphie?"

"Fine…" Selphie replied, still wobbly. "I think." She looked around. "Where are we?"

When she noticed Seifer in Rinoa's arms, her eyes grew darker, but no one noticed. Seifer, however, feeling sparks ran through his body and several jolts of pain.

"Ow! Ow!" he cried, pushing Rinoa away. "What are you doing?" He pulled his coat sleeves up, looking at an angry red mark circling his arms. "Rin!"

"What?" Rinoa gasped. "It's not me!"

Surprised, Selphie looked away. She didn't do it. She didn't do anything. She didn't—

O-oh, Quistis was looking at her.

The instructor shrugged and decided not to say anything about it.

"We're in hiding," said Squall. "Can you tell us what you did back then in the TV Station? How did you stop that woman?"

"I didn't," said Selphie. "Ifrit and Diablos did. I don't know what they did."

"Can you ask them?"

**No,** said Ifrit in Selphie's mind. **Tired, we're sleeping. Sorry.**

Selphie sighed. "They went to sleep. Or so they say." She looked at Quistis. "Instructor? You're the smartest. You must know what happened!"

That didn't amaze Quistis. "Do I?"

"Yeah!" Selphie nodded. "After all, you blessed us!"

"Blessed them?" Rinoa whirled towards Quistis. "Blessed them in what?" She glared at Quistis. "What did you do to them? To Seif?"

Quistis didn't seem fazed by her glare. "Did I? Blessed them?" she murmured, looking up. "Yes, I think I did."

Squall raised his brow. What happened? This wasn't the usual instructor. She always took the chance to be the first who explained and happy when someone wanted to listen.

"Are you hiding something, Instructor?" he asked.

"I don't think so," answered Quistis. "I don't understand much of it anyway."

"Well, tell us what you know!" shouted Rinoa.

Quistis stared at her. "…I'm sorry, what was that?"

Squall blinked. Did she just?

Rinoa glared at the calm instructor.

"Oh!" Selphie said, "I'm sorry, instructor! She mean, please tell us if you have any guess about what happened."

Seifer raised his brow and met Quistis's gaze. Squall looked at him and Quistis, wondering about their strange eye contacts. Rinoa and Selphie noticed this as well. They stared at them back and forth.

"Seifer," Quistis began. "You know who the woman is, don't you?"

Seifer leaned his head to the head of the bed as everyone stared at him. He purposely clasped his hands against the back of his head in slow motion before responding, "Yes."

"Who is she?" Quistis inquired as if it was a rhetorical question. "I think some of you know who she is as well."

_Huh?_ Seifer wondered. _Anyone else here knows Matron?_

"She's a sorceress," Squall replied.

_Oh, that._ Seifer looked at Selphie who nodded. Zell shrugged in silence, following his team.

"Sorceress?" whispered Rinoa. "As in, _the_ sorceress?"

"What Selphie did," Quistis explained, "was stopping the ritual process that will bond you with her."

"Bond?" Seifer sat up straight. "I don't get it."

"Oh!" Selphie said. "Bond as in… bonding! It's the Knight-Sorceress ritual!"

Squall frowned. _Where did I hear that before? It's not in Garden lesson…_

"You remember, don't you, Squall?" Selphie told him in amazement. "It's in your book! The Folklore Tale, Son of Magic!"

"Wait!" Seifer said. "Son of what?"

Selphie turned to him. "Son of Magic?"

"Wait…" Squall joined in. "You mean… she wants Seifer as her Knight?" Someone wanted Seifer to be her Knight? _This_ Seifer?

"Are you saying because she stopped it," rumbled Seifer. "I am now…" He pointed at Selphie. "Her Knight?"

"Quite the reverse," answered Quistis, crossing her arms. "SeeD Selphie Tilmitt actually has the lowest magical capabilities any Garden has ever seen. She will never be able to be a sorceress, even when all females in Gaia lose their magic capabilities."

Everyone stared at Selphie, who bowed her head so low and let out a defeated sigh. "You don't have to say it like that."

"The reverse, as in…" Rinoa whipped her head to Seifer. "OH MY HYNE! Seifer! You can do magic without Guardian Force!"

"Yeah, so?"

"No!" Zell finally piped in. He stood up and shook his head. "No! Selphie is not this conceited bastard's knight!"

"My what!"

"I'm a knight?" Selphie cried. "Nooo! I'll never get married!" she bawled, throwing herself to the bed, crying out loud. Everyone stared at her wide eyed.

"What are you crying about, you foal!" barked Seifer, punching the bed in aggression. "I'm a sorceress! I'm the one who supposed to cry!"

Rinoa clamped her hand to her mouth, stopping herself from chuckling. Quistis let a smirk formed on her lips. Squall looked away, but not before Seifer spotted amused look passing his face. The only one who hadn't looked amused was Zell, who looked ready to kill him.

"This is a joke, right?" Zell turned to Quistis, shooting her a pleading look. "Tell me this is a joke. Please, instructor."

"I'm the one who supposed to say that," growled Seifer.

"It couldn't be!" Zell pointed at him. "This is him we're talking about! This is the man who tried to make us go to jail!"

"I'm not the one who said we're all from Garden, Wuss," retorted Seifer, angry with the accusation. Zell was taken aback. His face scrunched up and he bit his lip, staring down to the floor.

"Alright, stop it." Squall raised his hand. "What should we do now, instructor?" He narrowed his eyes when he realized Quistis refused to look at him.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?" Seifer stood up. "There has to be something!"

"I mean nothing as nothing," countered Quistis. "The bonding stays 'till death. Unless you're trying to kill her now, which might end up as we kill you instead… nothing could be done. You two will have to stick together from now on."

"NO!" shouted Zell and Seifer at the same time.

"Why is that?" asked Squall, in need to clarify the matter. If there was anything that could prove fatal for the group in his command, that included Selphie and Seifer at this point, he felt it was in his right to know.

"Without a Sorceress, a Knight is worthless," informed Quistis, letting out what she had read in an intriguing book a long time ago. "Without Knight, a Sorceress will lose her sanity."

"His!" Seifer fixed her words. "His! I'm a he!"

"I'm not sure about that anymore," murmured Zell, eyes shifting away when Seifer glared at him.

"There is no proven point," Squall debated, "in any kind of formal books I've read, that a man can be a sorceress."

"That's because I'm not!" Seifer interjected.

"I think you will be called Sorcerer," placated Rinoa. "I never heard there is anyone before you."

"Indeed," Quistis agreed. "That's why I've said I don't understand it more than all of you."

At that moment, the Forest Fox leader showed up at the door.

"The Galbadian forces are withdrawing," she declared. "Only the soldiers normally stationed here will stick around. If you're going to leave town, now's your chance. You know how persistent those soldiers can be."

After looking around, Squall was the first to say, "Let's move on. We'll talk later."

-x-

The strangely made team of six people piled up in the living room. Seifer looked weary and tired with Selphie beside him, happily hopped to her feet, almost bouncing like she always did if not for Seifer's warning glare. She pouted and swayed instead. His hand gripped her shoulder, silently ordering the girl to stand still. Zell caught a glimpse of this, but he stayed scrunched up beside Rinoa. The girl took a peek on Squall's face every now and then. Quistis stood the farthest, behind Seifer and Selphie. She waited for Squall to say anything, but he just crossed his arms and looked to his side.

"Any thoughts on where to go, Captain?" she finally queried him.

_We have to get out of here first... _thought Squall.

"Getting out of here is only the first step," she said.

"What do you mean?" he questioned, surprised that she knew he was thinking about it.

"Garden Code, Article 8, line 7," declared her, waiting for Squall to memorize.

_8:7... In the event that returning to the assigned Garden is not possible, report to the nearest Garden..._ He murmured, "Head for the nearest Garden..."

Quistis nodded. "From here, that would be Galbadia Garden."

Rinoa decided to throw in, "We can take the train from here and get off at a station called East Academy."

"From there, we have to go through the forest west of the station to get to Galbadia Garden," Quistis said. "I've been there several times. We should be okay."

"All right then... We'll escape from Timber and head to Galbadia Garden," agreed Squall, ready to walk out.

The Forest Fox leader who had been listening at their conversation, smiled at him.

"You be careful, now. Take this with you." She handed Squall several curative vials. Squall nodded thank you to her as the rest of the team made their way out.

Outside, Selphie paced side by side with Seifer. The man blatantly ignored her, but he didn't push her away or ran off when she began to chat with her arms waving in the air. At least it was an okay start.

Squall walked side by side with Quistis, but the trip to the train station was surprisingly dull. Quistis didn't say a word, her eyes fixed forward, never even once glancing at him. Zell and Rinoa in front of them even had a better, livelier conversation than their Captain. Squall was feeling slightly uneasy with Quistis' behaviour. Something was very wrong. She usually called him out and talked first. This was…

This didn't feel right.

He let out a sigh of relief as they reached the station. Quistis strode away, leaving him. Squall stood dumbfounded, looking at his instructor.

Did he do something that made her act this way? He couldn't find anything from his behaviour that caused her to disregard him.

"Rinoa, Squall!" The two turned their head to an old man calling them. "It's me!"

"Zone!" Rinoa cried with relief.

_Well…_ Squall was astonished with Zone's appearance. _If there was nothing else they're good at, at least they can hide and change their appearance. It's something better than nothing._

"You need to go to East Academy, right? There's no more tickets left," Zone said when the group rounding him. "Ey-ey-ey! How come your team has grown almost twice since the last time I saw you?"

_How come you know we're going to the East Academy?_ Squall wondered.

"Super-Duper-Mega-Bummer!" Selphie bowed her head low. Seifer frowned to the girl.

"We'll do whatever it takes to get on that train," Squall said. He needed to bring his unique group out of this place as soon as possible. The soldiers would come again sooner or later.

"You won't have to do that. Look here!" Zone said, pulling out several tickets. "I have everyone's ticket right here! One for you, three for you SeeD people. Here, I'll give them to the leader. And the last one is for me..."

Zone looked at Quistis and Seifer who hadn't got a ticket. He walked over and gave Quistis the remaining one. "Go on. Take it."

"I can't take that! It's yours!" she said, but he insisted.

"Ouch!" Zone shoved the ticket in her hand and ran to a corner, clutching his stomach. "Ouuuuuuuch! My stomach hurts! Ouch! Just get going! The train is leaving!"

"Thank you," Quistis whispered.

"What about me?" Seifer bellowed feeling ignored. "How come Quistis gets it but not me?" He made a move to unsheathe his Hyperion. Selphie and Rinoa grasped his arms.

"Zone..." Rinoa said as calmly as she could muster while clutching the enraged Seifer. "We're going to see each other again, ok? No matter what, you have to survive. We have to liberate Timber together, remember?"

"I know, I know," Zone said. "I'll go hide in a bathroom or something. Now get going."

"Oh! Wait, man!" Zell pulled something out from his pocket. "Here… I thought you'll need this more than me!"

"Oh! Cool! Girls Next Door!" Zone shouted in happiness. Zell turned to see Selphie and Quistis staring at him in disbelieving look. Rinoa looked amused. "Thanks, man! I owe you one! I'll get you one of this if we meet again!"

"Aah, no, it's fine actually…" Zell said with a grimace. He wondered how he looked like to the girls now.

Seifer struggled away from Rinoa and Selphie, shouting to Zone as the man ran away, "You! You know who I am, Zone! Damn you! Why did you give her a ticket instead of me?"

"Sorry!" offered the man, already running far away from him. "Bye, Seif!"

"Damn it!" Seifer turned to Quistis. Sighing, he said, "I guess I have to do something else."

"Like what?" she inquired, crossing her arms.

"I don't know. Got any suggestion?"

Squall listened to the conversation with perked up ears. This was very weird. Seifer asked Quistis on suggestion?

Thinking, Quistis put her index finger against her lips. Then, she said, "I'll go with you in the cargo. There must be one."

"You what?" Seifer asked in disbelief, looking at Quistis as she turned around and handed her ticket to Squall.

"I'm going with him, Captain," Quistis said. "I don't need this."

Squall stared at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Instructor?" Zell asked. "You choose to go in a cargo with this man instead of us?"

"Yes, I do," Quistis answered.

"I don't think it was a good idea," Squall said, feeling uncomfortable with how easy she chose to be with Seifer than his team. "You have a ticket, you'll use it."

"No," Quistis said just as fast. "I don't have to."

"But Zone gave this to you!" Rinoa supported Squall. "If you don't need it, why did he have to sacrifice his way out of here?"

"I didn't ask him to," Quistis said. "I am thankful, but I didn't ask him to do that." With that, she turned and walked to Seifer.

"You sure about that?" Seifer questioned softly. "They don't seem happy."

"I'm your Captain," Quistis said. "I am responsible for you, Seifer."

"Ah," he said in disappointment. "I thought you really care."

"I do," Quistis said making the blond man form a smile. "When the train came in, we'll distract the guards and climb in. Okay?"

Squall stared at the pair as they chatted a few feet away from him. There was an uneasy feeling stuck in his throat, and yet he couldn't place it.

**-This train is bound for Dollet, stopping at East Academy. This is the last train for today. Please hurry on board-**

The team looked up after they heard the loudspeaker.

"The last train..." Squall said. "Let me double check... Get off at East Academy and go through the forest, west of the station. Galbadia Garden is located up ahead... Is that correct?" he asked, looking around.

All his three remaining members gaped at him, no one answered back. He glanced at Quistis's direction, but she disappeared from the station.

If she was there, she would say: "Indeed. Glad we have a leader with a good memory."

Noticing this, Zell said, "Uh, yeah! That's right! Glad we have a leader with a good memory!"

"He's smart," Selphie said with a nod from Rinoa. "He didn't need our answer, Zell."

"I think it's a rhetorical question," Rinoa said. "Isn't that a rhetorical question, Squall?"

Sighing, Squall motioned everyone to get on-board.

**-This train, bound for East Academy, will depart shortly—**

Meanwhile, the instructor climbed into the cargo area, Seifer followed behind. "You know, you don't have to hit the guard that hard," she said, sitting on the corner.

"You said hit him," Seifer said. "So I did."

He sat next to her, grimacing when the dusts flying up from the floor he just threw his bottom at.

Looking around him, he pouted and bawled, "Why do we're the one who has to sit in here? Why do they're the one who get the tickets? Damn that angsty Puberty Boy and stupid Chicken Wuss! Damn that spoiled Princess and cheery foal!"

Quistis chuckled. "That cheery foal is now your Knight, oh Dear Sorceress Almasy," she chastised him with an amused smile.

He shot her a withered glare.

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	15. Shadow of the Canine

**Chapter XV: Shadow of the Canine**

* * *

She was confused.

After the huge smoke in the TV station wrapped her out cold, she stirred up with nobody nearby.

Where was Rinoa? Why did she leave her alone?

Using her senses, she tracked Rinoa's scent. She waited patiently at the front door of a familiar home for hours. She knew the lady of the house was named Chief, had three children and was a big cheese in the organization Rinoa's also in. She loathed her sons. They loved riding her and tugging her tail. But her daughter always petted her gently, sometimes combing her fur while they sat outside her home, waiting for Rinoa and Chief from the group meeting.

She had no idea of time, but she knew she had waited long before the door finally opened on her. Chief looked down, surprised to see her.

"Oh, dear." She bent down, petting her head. "Did Rinoa forget to bring you along?" The woman stopped, thinking. Then, she beamed at her. "Want to come in? I'll take care of you until Rinoa comes home."

Oh, no. That was never her intention. She sniffed the woman, disappointment shown in her eyes when she realized Rinoa's scent was gone. So, she was really being left alone.

She twisted around when she heard the woman cautioned her, "Are you sure you want to track her? It's impossible! You'll end up as stray!"

If she stayed in her house, she knew she would be pleased being a stray. She couldn't deal with her sons. So, with all the energy she could gather, she tottered away, tracing Rinoa's scent all over again.

Her pursue brought her to the station. She remembered waiting for Rinoa in here, happy when she saw her strolling out from the train. Rinoa would enlighten her about her voyage, the latest adventure she had. She recalled being here only a few days ago, waiting for Rinoa's return from a place called Balamb.

While waiting at the station, another scent passed her nose. She turned around and dashed to an old man sitting on the bench. Nudging her head to his knee, she smiled to him.

Zone looked different, but she knew it was him. He did look aged and crinkly, but his scent remained the same.

"Hey, sweetheart," he whispered, patting a seat next to him.

She obeyed, leaping to the bench and wagging her tail, looking at him in adoration. Truth be told, anyone who fed and petted her would receive the same glance.

"You got left, honey?" Zone absently combed her fur. She sighed and set her chin on his thigh, happy to meet someone she recognized and wouldn't leave her. "I'm leaving to Deling; the train passes East Academy in between. If we go half an hour from now, you can still catch up with Rin."

Perking up at this, she wiggled her tail at extreme speed. He laughed as she looked up and licked his face.

-x—

"Selphie!" He shook her shoulder. "Wake up!"

"Ngh?" she intoned. Refusing to obey, she delved deeper into the warmth of the blanket.

"Selphie!" it was the same voice, now sounded annoyed.

Then the mantle patted her hair frivolously and answered the disconcert voice, "What's up, Squall?"

She fluttered her eyes open, looking up. The blanket she slept on was Zell. Yawning and ignoring the fact that she covered half his body with her own and they sprawled on the double train seat, she rested her head back in the crook of his neck.

Standing in front of his frolicsome team, the leader rubbed his stiff neck. He decided not stating how the scene made them suspiciously looked like a lover, because Zell would beam and Selphie wouldn't care.

"Get up. We're missing our target."

"Target what?" Zell slurred. Both he and Selphie slept throughout the ride, leaving Squall to watch for their destination. "You mean East Academy?"

"Get up." Squall crossed his arms and booted Zell's shin, attaining a yelp. "We're in Dollet station. Wake. Up."

"How come we're stopping in Dollet?" Selphie peeked with one eye, watching her team leader look away. "Weren't you supposed to watch the road, Squall?"

Never in the lifetime of his, that Squall would confess he fell asleep right after laying on the seat across from them. He also wouldn't point out his head had rested on his client's shoulder, even though said client looking towards him and giggling.

"He fell asleep," Rinoa said, still in her giggles. Zell moaned, slapping his own forehead in pretend disappointment. "All three of you are very tired, aren't you?"

Squall rolled his eyes. _Gee, thanks for pointing the obvious and tattling._ "Let's go, or I'll leave you two here."

Staying for the two sleepy kids, he stomped his foot on the floor. Rinoa stood up, stretching and walking out from the compartment first. Squall wondered why she didn't wake him up when they reached the East Academy. However, he recalled waking up and being gazed at in an eerie way from her, and he decided he didn't want to know. For others, the look might pass as a loving and attractive glance, but for him it was downright weird.

Dragging her feet, Selphie toddled out from the train. Zell followed behind in the same state, clutching their backpack. Their captain was the last one out, firing the two of them the patented bothered glare of his.

Rinoa sat on the bench with Seifer next to her. He scowled when he saw the three SeeDs marched out from the train. Quistis sighed and massaged her temple. Both she and Seifer were too tired, so they were dead to the world during the whole trip. They had thought Squall would wake them up when the train arrived at East Academy. Obviously it didn't happen, as Rinoa said the captain was weary and resting as well. The only person who was conscious during the journey was Rinoa, but she too, wasn't watchful enough and slumbered for a bit right before the train reached their destination. She murmured to Seifer how Squall's hair was so soft and smelt nice, how it made her lulled to siesta. None of the two SeeDs left was pleased about that. Seifer didn't even care if Rinoa fancy rolling in the hay with Leonhart, but he expected more from the captain. Quistis was miserable because she had grown to anticipate nothing from Squall, but he didn't want Rinoa to roll in the hay with the gunblader. She had snoozed inside the cargo with her head on Seifer's thigh, rousing up with a sense of déjà-vu, but he was sleeping as well so it didn't reckon. Or it did, and she simply didn't want to compare it with Rinoa and Squall because it enraged her.

"Way to go, Puberty-Boy!" Seifer growled when the man he was waiting for finally standing in front of him. "Can you be more of a responsible leader and less pubes?"

Squall glared at his rival. "Shut up, Seifer." He looked around, counting the members of his team and their belongings. None were absent. "Let's get inside. It's too late to take another train."

"There won't be another train until tomorrow," Quistis explained further, looking at her wristwatch. "Let's just crash in Dollet today, it is useless waiting here."

"If our beloved captain wasn't going on his beauty sleep, we won't have to crash anywhere but G-Garden." Seifer huffed, standing up. Quistis rolled her eyes while Squall decided to ignore the palpable insult. Zell shrugged, giving Selphie her bag. The bouncy girl started looking vigilant once more and back to her vigorous act, smiling to everyone. Rinoa looked at the SeeDs and lifted her hands. Everyone looked at her.

"I think I left something," she said.

Squall studied her. "You didn't bring anything."

"Exactly." Rinoa bit her lips. "I left Angelo in Timber."

Squall blinked, trying to memorize who Angelo was. Was that the one calling him 'Sir' all the time or the one posing as an old man?

Seifer frowned. "That dog is smart. She can live in there without you."

Oh, the dog. Squall didn't care much about the canine. It wasn't like they might bring her inside G-Garden anyway, and if the possessor of the dog was any indication, she had no problem blending in and getting food. "Let's just go."

"The problem is," Rinoa persisted. "I can't fight without Angelo."

While all four SeeDs were gawking at her, Seifer explained, "That's a battle dog. She was trained to hit and cover her master all the time."

Squall's brow rose. Now _that_ was another issue. "I'll see if we can somehow salvage your dog from Timber without us having to attain her ourselves." Zell groaned, realizing Squall's one-way thought. Selphie grinned to Squall, also realizing his purpose.

"Thank you," Rinoa said, moping. "Although I don't appreciate if you 'salvage' her. Angelo isn't garbage, you know."

Squall shrugged, not discussing it further. A mêlée dog might be useful for the team, as well as a good experiment subject for SeeD. Perhaps then, they could breed some Grats and Fastitocalons to fight for them, if he could find out how Rinoa trained her pet. It wasn't a bad prospect.

Once the team entered the town, Squall decided to uplift his burden a little. He didn't want babysitting Selphie and Zell all night. Guarding his client alone was exhausting enough.

He said to all of them, "We'll split up here. Everyone, just go wherever you want to and back here tomorrow morning." He studied his wristwatch. "Is seven good enough for everyone?" Looking around and seeing nods, he asked Rinoa, "Do you want to go with me or…?"

At first, it did look like their client was all smiles as Squall queried her. Then, she countered, "How do you feel about shopping?" Seeing the man flinch, she shook her head. "I knew it." She looked at Selphie and then at Quistis. Considering her circumstances for a moment, she clapped her hands. "Selphie! Let's go shopping!"

"Huh?" Zell and Selphie both let out a startled tone. Zell looked uncertain as Selphie resignedly nodded.

"Great! I always want to have a girlfriend to go shopping!" Rinoa took Selphie's arm and pointed somewhere far, far, far away. "Let's go!"

"I don't have much money…" Selphie said.

"No worries!" Rinoa grinned. "I do! My treat!" Well, she didn't have the cash but if her father's card had never been rejected until now, she figured it meant she did have some Gil.

"Oh!" Selphie brightened a little. "Now we're talking!"

The others were looking at the girls as they travelled on their merry way. Squall resisted the urge massaging his forehead or crossing his arms. Selphie wasn't the best SeeD he ever met, but he knew she was brave. Even foolish to a fault, that meant she would protect their client in case something happened. Zell slumped down, defeated. He had been hoping to go with her, tracing their SeeD exam memories. Seifer glanced to the sad blond, snorting. Squall looked at Quistis, wanting to ask her for their next step. She was always ready giving him her advice, and he needed it now. But the woman didn't notice Squall's aim.

She said to Seifer, "We need to talk about how to 'catch fish', now."

_What?_ Squall frowned. _She wants to go fishing with Seifer? In Dollet beach?_

If Seifer was confused, he didn't show it. "Yeah." He noticed Squall's bafflement and nudged Quistis before she strode away. "Yo, I think Pubes have something to say."

Quistis stopped and looked at Squall. The man nodded. "…Yes?" she queried, waiting.

Squall glanced at Zell and Seifer. Realizing how Leonhart wouldn't spill anything while he's there, Seifer groaned and smacked Zell's head.

"Chicken, off."

Zell woke up from his self-misery and snarled. "What did you call me?"

"Chicken," Seifer answered. "Oh, sorry…" He waited for a bit for Zell to cool down and smirked. "I forgot your last name. Chicken-wuss, off." Turning around, he moved out of the range with Zell hollering behind.

Quistis clutched one of her arms. "I hope this won't take long?"

She had a lot to plan with Seifer. Nida didn't answer the PCS for some time and on behalf of battery power, she had to turn it off. It wasn't good for any of them. After they find a lodge to crash tonight, she would turn it on again, wanting to talk to her friend and acquire data on their underground mission. The mission Squall had been nothing compared to her and Seifer's and she knew she would leave the three young SeeDs in G-Garden. She and Seifer had too much to forfeit if they strayed too long from Deling.

And there was the topic of Selphie. Seifer refused to accept the vivacious girl as anything related to him, but with luck and soothing words, Quistis hoped she could sway the girl to go with them. Aside from studying the bonding, she also wanted to make sure both Seifer and Selphie were in good state for the job. Adding her into their secret mission would be inevitable, since Quistis wouldn't leave Seifer with Squall's team or risking his safety by letting Selphie away. She had no idea how their bond would affect them, and certainly wouldn't want to find it out in a bad way. Selphie would be the newest member, and that was final. Boss would be easy to convince, he didn't heed much providing the mission completed successfully. Of course that would connote bringing Selphie to the 'dark side', but whatever it took…

"I want to discuss our next strategy." Squall startled her. She frowned, pulling out of her own thought. "After we reached G-Garden, what do you think we should do?" he asked.

_You mean, what do you think your team should do?_

It didn't matter much for Quistis. For her, once Squall had reached the Garden, it was adieu. She wouldn't stick with his team. Before their 'talk' in the Secret Area, if he was asking her for the suggestion, she would be thrilled, offering anything to please him. But considering she was better off 'talking to a wall', now she viewed his matter half-heartedly.

"I…"_ What? I don't know? Or more like I don't care? That's mean. It's not who I am, it's him._ "I think it will be better if we discuss this matter with all members present."

Squall looked taken aback. Amazing, how her response could bring such a shown sentiment from the stoic one. She never saw this before. Interesting.

"I'm asking for your advice," he said coldly. It might scare Rinoa or make Selphie whimper, but it did nothing on Quistis. "It appears you are more into fishing on the beach than taking this matter seriously."

It might insult Seifer or Zell, but Quistis only felt sorry for him. He didn't have the right partner for planning the matter. It was all on him. She knew he often said he could 'do it himself', but it didn't mean he needed no one to give him a suggestion. Zell might do it if he's not in his hyper mode, but it was a rare happening. Selphie, obviously, wasn't a good one for advice. She would conquest the plan and made it more notorious and troublesome than it supposed to be. Rinoa was not a SeeD, and neither of the quiet SeeDs saw her as a good one to converse. Timber Owl being the good reason _why _they shouldn't discuss any martial matter with this particular client.

"…Listen, Captain," Quistis said, looking down. She didn't catch annoyed look Squall shot her for calling him that. "I don't have a clear mind right now. I'm not a good 'wise-man' today." She looked at Seifer and Zell. They were yelling and insulting each other. "I think… it wouldn't be wise for me to give you an idea, while your team has no time and chance to show their thoughts to you."

Now, if it wasn't a good long winded elusion, she didn't know what it was.

"We should stick together, the four of us." Squall waved to the two blonds shouting at one another. "We can discuss this matter as we find a place to crash in."

"I don't think it's a good thing." Quistis shook her head. She had no time to spend with two SeeDs who had nothing to do with their mission.

Right now, all she need was Seifer and a full charged battery. They also needed place to plan the next step, without the others eavesdropping. Quistis didn't need Squall and Zell around her. It was enough listening Seifer teasing Zell from afar. She didn't need all night migraine.

"Why not?" Squall crossed his arms, back to his usual pose.

_Let's see… how to say no without making him curious…_ Quistis groaned inwardly when she realized there was no other way than… "I'd like to spend a time with my boyfriend, alone."

If later, someone asked her, if she ever saw how Squall's face looked like when electrocuted, she could say she had. It was too bad she didn't bring her camera. His look was precious and she had a feeling he had never shown this to anyone but her.

"Your…" Squall pointed at Seifer, still a bit bewildered. "When?"

_Never._ "After the inauguration ball." Quistis put up her stony look when he studied her face. She was good at it; she was the one teaching young cadets how to survive under pressure. "I need some time alone with him. In the G-Garden I won't have that time. So, Squall…" Looking at the his landed fish look, she forced herself not to cackle. "Good luck on discussing with your team." _While I'm discussing with mine._ She walked away, leaving the mystified man.

Squall still stood there in bafflement when Zell stepped to his side minutes later. He shook the captain's shoulder. "Yo. Squall?" He tilted his head, studying the gunblader waking himself out of a daze. "You 'kay?"

Squall didn't even know how he should react to that.

Huffing, Zell decided not querying his ex-roommate. It wasn't like he was going to reply anyway. "Let's go. I guess it's just the two of us, huh?"

-x—

_Just a bit more…_

He cursed his own stupidity. What was he thinking when he decided to hide in here?

Wriggling his body, he exhaled before sliding out of the ventilation channel. He rolled around, landing on the storeroom floor, looking up to the pathway he went through a moment ago. It was rough and hot, but he managed to get out in one piece. He was worried for a second that someone might see him, but his survival instinct to get out of the place at once had been stronger than his hiding sense. And he had always been the one trusting his intuition. It always saved him, keeping his life intact.

He glanced around the storage area. At least it was safer than being in the same room with the sorceress. He had felt a chill on his spine when he peeked inside that room. He saw her coming in, with a man hollowly trailing her. He shivered when he identified the man; it was no longer the guy he knew. No matter how short amount of time he had known that man, he never saw his eyes that hollow and his skin that pale.

The sorceress whirled around in the centre of the room, staring at the ventilation duct. He bit back his staggered shriek when her stare pierced his eyes. Always the one choosing safety over anything, he tumbled and crawled back into the channel.

It was a bad idea. Bad scheme for him went inside by himself, locating the sorceress. What was he thinking?

The spy sighed, hand tracing the PCS securely turned off in his pocket. He couldn't risk being caught over a call. It was a standard procedure, he knew Trey would understand. Even someone who never went into a secret mission as Almasy would comprehend. He looked at it, knowing he still had adequate battery power. Probably he should find someplace safe and turn it on.

Strolling out from the room, he took no time blending in with the crowds. No one knew the old building next to the Presidential Mansion had adjacent pipes in the whole area of the manor. No one knew… except him, Boss and the general. Since the latter two couldn't possibly take this kind of work, the knowledge was better used by him alone.

In the crowd, no one noticed him. He became who he was; a shadow. He had no doubt the sorceress wouldn't remember his face in an hour. He was that forgettable.

When he was little, it always made him cry. The fact that no one bothered remembering him, no one knew what his name was, not even his late parents. As he grew up, he found it amusing. More than once he had used this trait to attain whatever he wanted. Including someone's girl, money, rumours... They wouldn't remember who they were dealing within an hour, and by that time he had gone far away.

But it didn't work all the time. Someone remembered him. The man caught him while he was 'acquiring' his money. He thought the man would forget about him, but he didn't. He hauled him to his military school, jailing him in the basement. The man never forgot about him and his needs, even within soundproofed walls. After three weeks, he was taken out and introduced to a girl and a boy at his age. They became the three people who never forgot about him. It was weird, but four of them were family nonetheless.

He mused to himself. At this rate, returning to Boss was the best option.

So he made his way to the station, ready to go to the East Academy.

-x—

"So…you have any idea how to make her into me?"

Squall pinched the skin between his brows. "No, Zell. I have no idea how to make her _into_ you."

The boy sulked, resting his chin on the pub counter. Squall noticed the blond SeeD was nowhere near drunk, but he still had to be cautious for Zell's consumption limit. He had a pretty good idea how Zell acted when he got slurred. Why, he had had a broken arm for taking the blond home to Garden. So he tried not to break the same arm—or worst, his jaw—by babysitting the blond while he had his sip. It worked until today. Probably if he kept watching him, the incident wouldn't happen again. Squall was still bitter by the fact he, of all people, had to apologize to Zell's friends who had more than a broken arm while keeping the blond from his drink. They had shot him an accusing glare. What, they thought he was his caretaker just because they were roommates?

"I don't get it." Zell toyed with the lip of his glass. "I tried so hard and here come Seifer. And KABOOM! They have to be together? I mean, what the hell was that all about?"

"I have no idea, Zell." And that was true.

After walking around the town for hours, Squall entered the pub with Zell. He had done most of his spare time challenging the bartender in a card game, winning Siren card. The game soothed his carding ego. After that, he sat on the counter with Zell on his right and…

He glanced to his left. Surprise, surprise.

"That's a girl for you," the Card Queen said. Sitting next to him, she supported her chin with her palm. "That's why I never went back to the dating game. Too risky. Too many moves, many sacrifices. Exhausting and time-wasting."

The bartender had insisted playing cards in his room. Not that Squall minded, he won Siren card after all. The bartender didn't seem fazed by his loss; he proved it by giving Squall several cards level one. On his way out, he rummaged the magazine piles near the stair because the man said it had some items he never bothered using. Squall was then a proud owner of an Occult Fan II magazine, a few battle items and one lousy Geezard card.

He'd met Solange while stepping down to the pub. She greeted him, asking to have a drink with him. Since Zell had already drank off his loss of Tilmitt, Squall didn't mind another company.

"Yeah," Zell said. He looked at the Card Queen, passing Squall. "Love sucks, eh, Carding Queen?"

She gave a hearty laugh. "It's the Queen of Cards, my dear. Anyway, just call me Solange. I might be twice your age but I'm still young at heart." She winked at Zell. "Want me to help you get over her?"

Squall buried his face in his hands.

"Hehee…" Zell grinned. His cheeks started blushing. "What do you have in mind?"

Squall threw an exasperated look at the ceiling.

"Oh, a little of this and that." Solange waved her hands dismissively. "Probably a stop to my house will be a good thing for us to—"

"Card game?" Squall cut off her sentences, drawing out his Card box. Solange blinked.

Zell moaned. "Card game? That's lame! Naah, don't wanna." He buried his face in his arms.

Solange pouted but soon accepted his challenge.

-x—

-x—

She was scared.

Whimpering, she lay down on the grass. This was not the right place for a noble one like her. When Zone dropped her off in East Academy station, she thought she would meet Rinoa. But not only did she never meet her, she was almost a monster's dinner.

Where was Rinoa? She thought in panic, scouring the area with wide eyes. Had she been left to death here?

After her disastrous encounter with a monster, she fled back to the station. There was no train; she didn't even pick up a sound of it miles away. That would mean she was alone.

She was so scared.

She hid her nose between her paws, eyes kept wandering for anything nearby. She wouldn't go down without a fight, that's for sure.

Angelo Caraway would never become a monster's dinner.

She jolted in surprise as she heard a howl. It was so close.

Okay, let's retrace that, should we?

Angelo Caraway would never become a lousy, weak monster's dinner.

She didn't know what would happen if she met a strong one.

-x—

* * *

**_To be continued…_**

* * *

-x—

Author's Note

This one is more winded than I thought it would be.

First of all, if anyone wondered, yup, you can go straight to Dollet if you didn't stop at East Academy. Second, I always wondered why Rinoa never showed her dog when they were on journey; the poor one needed more attention. Third, because I'm obsessed at cards and details of the game myself (as you can see…) I had to have the details everywhere. If there's not any, I'm creating it :P Queen of Cards did show up at the Dolletian pub, but she never had drink with Zell, she just stood there and you had to approach her to know things, changing card rules and all. Considering Squall's card obsession, I can guarantee you she would be almost anywhere. Of course, I had to fit her in the game plot as well. Any cards or items mentioned being owned by Squall in here is truly real (at least in ff8). Squall did obtain them during his journey, every part of it.

Anything else you noticed different? All? ;) Well, I do have some crazy but sappy plot in mind, and considering Seifer's now part of it, I have to do something to stomp him down :P


	16. Never Underestimate a Dincht

**Chapter XVI: Never Underestimate a Dincht**

* * *

The sun was setting down when he arrived.

Walking outside the station, Nida looked up, admiring the red and orange hues painting the sky. For most part of his life, he had lived in this area. Just further down through the forest, he would find his red Garden, standing proud and strong. He never felt happy coming back to his so-called home, and certainly, he had no such sentiment now. Somehow, Galbadia Garden provided a constant, firm sensation of shelter and authority. That might be too much support for someone as unremarkable as him.

He tensed when he heard something. Alerted by the faint sound, he balled his fist on his side, ready to attack any monster foolish enough to greet the spy. He narrowed his eyes to his left, wondering if the monsters were nesting behind that bush. If it was, he had to run. Fast. No matter how fine the agent was, he certainly wasn't well built enough to handle an angry mother and her starving offspring.

When the bush quivered, Nida inhaled and peeked to his right. _Okay, change of plans,_ he thought._ Run_.

He certainly did not expect a large dog busting out from the bush, running out straight to him and knocking the lean man easily. He was torn between punching the vicious dog away or protected his own face in case the fierce dog had rabies. His life might end right here, and he whined, remembering he hadn't done much in his life.

The dog licked his face with long, warm and caring licks, while he marvelled why he rejected several girls' offers. He should accept the invitations to their room when he had a chance. Now, he would be dead at the hand of a nasty dog by gentle, smooth licks on his face...

Wait.

Nida watched the canine on top of him. It certainly didn't try seasoning him with his tongue before eating the losing man. He reached out to its head, hesitant before petting it. The dog let out a happy hum, its tail waving at extreme speed. He pushed it off his body, and the supposedly brutal dog let him off too easily, still tried licking every part of him as he stood up.

Coughing, he managed to look embarrassed. Okay, who would have guessed a tame dog would be staying in a bush, in the centre of wilderness? That, would be what he'd say to everyone, in case anybody heard about this.

He glanced down to the kind-looking large dog. "Of course, you won't say this to anyone, because you can't talk, right?"

It tilted its head.

"Right." He jumped when he heard another noise, cursing when he realized the source. He glared at his own expensive PCS, putting his index finger to his lip when the dog started barking. Amazingly, the dog shut its bark at once.

_This must be someone's dog,_ he thought, answering the call, "Hello?"

"Nida? It's Trepe. How are you? How's everything? Did you manage to catch the 'fish'?"

"Hey, Trey," he answered while crouching down, putting his backpack on the ground. He was unzipping it and searching for something when the dog moved closer to him and placed its head on his shoulder without vigilance, sighing happily. _Okay, this dog is certainly spoiled._ "I'm fine, but I can't catch the 'fish' by myself. You take the bait away with you, remember?"

"We can't go back to Deling right away," Quistis said as the man pulled a can of tuna out of his backpack. He drew his pocket knife and jammed it into the can, stoutly opening it, making sure his cut didn't leave a sharp edge around the top. Throwing away the lid, he placed it on the ground and pointed at it.

"Eat," he ordered the dog. It didn't need any other command, as its mouth snapped at the poor can at once, gulping down the content.

_Tame dog, starving, desperate for human contacts..._ Nida looked around. The owner should be dead by now. It was impossible for him to see any other explanation. Nobody would leave his or her dog in a place like this. Except one particular dog he knew, the one his adoptive father had left in Deling streets. Nevertheless, that dog was a big flirt and he impregnated almost every female security dog they had. Well, it just figured, the dog was owned by his adoptive brother, the famous flirt himself, Kinneas.

"Nida? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, still here," he answered. "I'm not in Deling either. I'm on my way to G-two."

Silence. Then, Quistis asked, "Why?"

"Well, she saw me."

"She WHAT?"

He cringed, moving the phone slightly away. "She saw me. Not a big deal, right? She'll forget about me in under a minute anyway."

"Yeah, but... how?"

"Well..." he trailed off. The dog has finished its dinner, now licking his hand. "I'm not really sure myself. Anyway, I'm staying at G-two for a while, until you guys finished whatever business you got in Timber."

"It's finished already," Quistis said. "We'll meet you at G-two then."

"Wait," he said. "Finished? You're only there for one night!"

"Long story," she said. "Anyway, we'll rendezvous at G-two. We're heading there as well."

"Oh?"

"As I said—"

"Long story. Yeah, yeah." He stared at his watch. "When will you arrive?"

"Certainly, not tonight," she said, with a hint of annoyance he couldn't place. "We'll be there by the afternoon... if we're lucky and our 'Captain' doesn't sleep on the train, again."

"You slept on the train?"

"I said our 'Captain'," she said. "It's a long story."

"Well, compare it to the time you're taking to say 'long story', I think the story itself will be finished by now."

"Don't act all witty now, Nida."

"Ooh..." Nida chuckled, noticing her agitation. He reached out to the canine and pulled it closer. The canine accepted the embrace lovingly. "Something happened in there?"

"Nothing..." she murmured. "I'll hang up now. We'll regroup tomorrow. Tell Boss I'm coming."

He winced when she hung up the line with an obvious dismay. Setting his PCS back in his pocket, he moved himself a bit to zip his bag and pat the dog's head. "I guess you're coming with me. What's your name?"

The dog barked.

He thought about what he just asked a _dog_. "Okay, stupid question. Unless your name is 'Bark', I guess you can't answer it."

The dog shifted away when he stood up and sported his backpack. When he turned back to the canine, he was stunned, seeing it scratching the ground with its paw, forming an 'A'.

"Wow," he breathed out. "You're either a very smart dog or your master was taking his sweet time teaching you. So, your name starts with an 'A'?"

'A' barked. Then, it jumped and spread all its paws up on the air, landing weightlessly. The human didn't grasp the matter until 'A' did it several times.

"You try to fly?" He chuckled. "Nobody can fly except bugs and birds. Or flying monsters..." He stopped. His eyes grew wide. "Your name's Angel!"

Bingo. Angel stopped hopping around stupidly, staring at the thrilled man with pride in its eyes.

"You're..." Nida moved closer and squeezed Angel. "Wow! Don't worry! I'm certainly taking you as _my_ dog, Angel!"

Uh-oh.

"We're better heading to my house now," he said, standing up. "Let's go, we'll be there in no time."

Angel barked in agreement. For now, at least she had somewhere to stay. If Rinoa didn't come to pick her up, she wouldn't mind being someone else's dog. She knew Rinoa would pick her up anyway.

Then she remembered how long she had waited for her in this forsaken place, and decided not to think about it too much.

-x—

-x—

Shielding his eyes with his arm, he lay on the sand, waiting until his Captain turned off her PCS. "Another turn of events?" he asked, not moving from his spot.

"We're meeting him at G-Garden tomorrow," she said, placing the tool back into her bag. "All we can do now is following Squall's team."

He didn't reply. Instead, the blond sat up and pulled out a small box from his pocket. He nudged her, attaining her attention.

"Here," he said, offering the box.

She frowned. "What is it?"

"Just open it."

She reached and grabbed the box, opening it slightly, cautioned.

"It doesn't contain a sleeping gas, stink bomb or tear gas," he spat.

"It contains poison gas, then," she said, smiling and moving the box away when he tried to snatch it. "Just kidding. I'll open it."

He huffed. She opened the box wider and her smile faded. He glanced at her, wondering about her expressionless face.

"You don't like it?" he asked. She turned towards him.

"It's beautiful," she said. "I just... can't believe..." she faltered. "Nobody's ever giving me this kind of present before..."

He moved closer. "What kind of present you usually get then, Instructor?"

This time, the mocking title didn't insult her. "Books..." Quistis laughed. "Books, books and lots of books."

"Sounds boring." He took the box from her hand, making a twirling motion with his finger when she watched him with querying eyes. "Turn around."

"Oh!" she intoned. "I can't! It's too pretty! I can't wear it..."

He rolled his eyes. "Just turn around, Instructor."

Biting the flesh of her lower lip, she turned her back at him and waited until he set the necklace on her neck. She looked down, tracing the silver chain with her fingers.

"I... Thank you..." she stuttered. Turning around to watch the man, she frowned when he was moving too close to her. "What are you doing?"

"Claiming my kiss," he said. Quistis's eyes grew wide and she grabbed a handful of sand, throwing it to his face. "Ow!" Seifer yelped and crouched down when the sand entered his eyes, closing his eyelid in pain.

"I'm not that easy, Seifer." Quistis huffed, standing up.

When she almost yanked the necklace from her neck, she felt his hand grab her ankles and pulled her down. She shrieked, falling down and crushing against him. He glared at her... or trying to, with his teary eyes.

"I'm not giving you a gift to sleep with you, Instructor," he said through gnashed teeth.

"Oh yeah?" With her hand, she punched his chest, freeing herself and standing up when he grunted in pain. "What is this 'claiming my kiss' thing then?"

"Just that!" he said. "A kiss is a kiss! I won't make you pregnant by kissing you, damn it!"

"I don't want to kiss you!" she said. "Why do you think I want to kiss you, just because you're giving me this?" She pointed at her necklace. "You're better having it back, then!"

"I tried kissing you because I thought it was the right time for it!" Seifer said, rising up. "I'm not asking a kiss for a payment! And don't you dare removing that from your neck! At least that's what you can do after attacking the one kind-heartedly giving you a present!"

"Who's attacking who first?" she shouted, but made no further move to remove the necklace. "You're such an arrogant bastard, Almasy!"

"Oh, now we're back to the surname thing?" Seifer shouted. "No wonder they are so afraid to get close to you, Instructor TREPE!"

"Um..." a meek sound echoed behind him. "Did I... come at the wrong time...?"

He turned to see Rinoa stood on the stair leading towards the town. The chary-looking girl had numerous shopping bags in her hands; her eyes were looking back and forth to Seifer and Quistis, ready to dash if the blondes started using her as their punching bag.

Quistis sighed and held her forehead, wondering why she was losing her temper against someone she had marked as vain anyway. "What are you doing here?"

"I bought a sleeping bag because Selphie said everybody has one," Rinoa said, walking down the stairs towards them. "Then I think: why don't we camp at the beach tonight? It saves money and of course it will be fun!" She turned towards Seifer, hoping to lighten the mood. "Right?"

The man looked away. "Whatever." Like he even cared what she wished for.

"Hey..." Rinoa pouted, tilting her head. "That's not your line, isn't it?"

"It's a word, damn it!" he yelled furiously, surprising his ex-girlfriend. "Everybody has the same right to use that damn fucking word!"

Rinoa narrowed her eyes. She never liked anyone shouting at her, Seifer should know that by now. "Now, that sounds more like you. Mad and haughty befit Seifer Almasy."

Before Seifer had a chance to snap, Quistis intervened, "Camping at the beach sounds fun. Did you buy the tent as well?"

She shook her head. "But you guys must have at least one, right?"

"I have one," Quistis said, motioning to her backpack. "We'll set up a tent now."

They began setting up the camp, disregarding him. Cooling himself, the upset Seifer inhaled before stomping towards the stairs, leaving the scene.

Why did he do it? Why did he want to kiss her? It certainly wasn't the right time, yet his instinct telling him to go on.

_Good job, Almasy. H_e scowled as he entered the town. _One step forward, fifteen steps back._

-x—

-x—

He thought when he won, he would get that rare card, the one who had a man with auburn hair and violet coloured eyes. Instead, all he got was junk.

Squall scowled, looking down to his prize. Why would he need the seventeenth Buel Cards? She tricked him repeatedly, using the _Close_ rules. Of course he won all the time if she was using five level one Cards!

"You tricked me," he said. "You let me won and you give me these low level Cards."

"Did I?" Solange said, grinning. "What did you have in mind when you challenged me, young man?"

He didn't answer, simply piercing his cold glare at her. She chuckled.

"I see," she said. "You want that Character Card, don't you? Well, unfortunately, I gave it to someone before I came here."

"You said you don't want to lose it."

"Exactly!" Solange said, resting her arm against the bar counter. "Don't you get it? If I give it to someone else, I won't lose it in Card game!"

He frowned. That was a twisted logic. "And what about another one, the other Character Card you said you have?"

"Kiros Card?" Solange smiled. "I gave it to his friend at Deling. He's a good card player and Kiros's good friend, so I gave it as a memento."

_Kiros..._ Squall pondered for a moment. _Kiros as in Kiros's Laguna? Laguna's Kiros?_ "Is this Kiros happened to have a friend named Laguna?" he asked the astonished woman. "Are you giving his Card to Laguna? He lives in Deling?"

"You know him?" she asked back. "No, he's not Laguna. I never met Laguna after he went to—" she halted. "Wait, how do you know them?"

"We dreamt about him," Zell said. Astounded, Squall glanced at his friend. He had forgotten about the half-drunk blond. "Kiros is the tall skinny one, right?"

"Dream?" Solange shook her head, her eyes fluttered close. "It's weird, meeting someone in a dream. I wish I can see him in mine..."

"There you are!" Selphie said. Zell and Squall snapped their head towards the door, where the cheery girl skipping into the pub. "Just telling you guys, we're camping at the beach, in case you want to join!" she said, waving to them and leaving as fast as she came.

Zell perked up. He hopped down and said to Squall, "I'm tired, I'm leaving now. See you, Solange! Oh, can you pay for my drinks, Squall? I'll be sure to pay you back later! Bye!" Without waiting for answers, he turned around and ran outside.

The quiet gunblader grunted, looking at Zell's five glasses of alcohol. For a while, he wondered why Zell hadn't got smashed. Then, he saw someone else coming in. The man looked around before capturing the sight of him, and gaited towards them. Squall scowled, wondering if he should follow Zell or stay in place.

"Well, well..." Seifer sneered. "What do we have here? Puberty Boy on a date?" He smirked. "I misjudged you, Pubes. A new title will be more fitting..." he said, without consent sitting beside Squall on Zell's empty chair. "How about Pl—"

"Shut up, Seifer," Squall growled.

Solange's eyes lit up with something unidentifiable for the two boys, as she beamed to the coming blond. Seifer arched his brow, studying the woman.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"Well, I sure haven't met you anywhere in person," the Queen of Cards purred, with hum lower than cat's meow. "If I have, I would've remembered... Seifer, isn't it?" she said with a wink. "You're even more handsome in person than in your Card."

Squall glowered. She made his Character Card. Someone, _a living human being,_ wanted Seifer's Card. The fact wasn't consoling to him. In all possibility, the client who ordered Seifer's Card might have been another psychopath, admiring the blond for his grey stinky trench coat or his stupid-looking gelled hair. It could be a dim rich girl who wanted to have a piece of Seifer the True Blond inside her wallet. Or a loaded appalling fan boy who would caress his Card at night, because he couldn't get near the real bastard without missing all his teeth. Didn't matter, the fact someone wanted _Seifer's _Card infuriated the stoic boy.

"Aah, yes." Seifer grinned. "If you care to know, Puberty Boy," Seifer said, looking smug. "I know who has my Character Card, and he's not one of those maniacs you're thinking about." He watched when Squall's eyes filled with something resembling curiosity, even when the gunblader scorned. _But of course_, he thought, _coming from Leonhart, it might just be a well-hidden mask of constipation._

"Care to play some games, my dear?" Solange patted an empty seat next to her. "Come here, I'd _love_ to see your choice of Cards..."

"Not interested," he said.

"So you don't like playing Cards?" Solange pressed. She stood up, sauntered to Seifer. The blonde arched his brows even higher. "What kind of life's pleasure you're interested in, then?"

Squall winced, looking away. He pulled his wallet out and started counting his money, wanting no more than getting out as soon as possible. Seifer, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed by her.

"I'm not saying I don't play Card," the tall blond said. "I'm not interested in Card game right now."

Squall had put the cash on the counter, but he stopped his next stage of running when he heard that._ Seifer, playing Cards?_ He stole a glance at the man, wondering how come he hadn't known it before. Now, the Card-enthusiast side of him wanted to know what his rival had.

"Hmm... too bad..." she said, moving her head closer to the blond. Squall's idea of darting away rushing back to him. "So, care to do other games right now?"

Seifer seemed uninterested on the other offer. "Card game it is, then." He glanced at Squall, who now sat tranquilly in his seat making no move towards the exit. "You're still here?"

Squall ignored him. Instead, he said to Solange, "How about I lend you some of my best Cards? I'll do it, if you made the rules to _Open_, _Same_ and _Combo_."

"Oh, really..." Solange grinned. It was very easy reading a crazed-Card player. "But the Card I win will be mine."

"Affirmative," Squall said, in one move drawing out his Card box and choosing the strongest Cards.

Seifer groaned, smacking his forehead. "I don't believe this..." he mumbled. "So that's true. The Black Kitten is a Card maniac."

The Black Kitten ignored him. He chose Zell's Card, Ifrit Card and Shiva's Card, before picking Biggs and Wedge Card, and last, an Elite Galbadian Soldier Card, spreading it on the counter.

Seifer looked vacantly at the brunet's choice. Way to go, he didn't even feel like winning now. He certainly wouldn't want to add the grinning Chicken-Wuss, the imbecile red GF who keep calling him Son of Magic, Squall's Icy GF with a similar attitude as her holder (no matter how sexy she looked), or even worse, his three dippy former enemies into his collection.

-x—

-x-

"I'm sleeping in here!"

"No way! I'm the one who's sleeping in here! Chicken-Wuss sleeps like Chicken-Wuss, on the side!"

"I am not Chicken-Wuss! At night it'll be so cold if I sleep in that spot!"

"Hah! Like I care!"

"Squall! Help me out here! Gah!" Screaming, Zell yanked off Seifer's sleeping bag that was thrown at his head. "I'll be sleeping in the middle, and it's final!"

"..." Squall sighed, placing his hand on his hip. He stood outside the tent, observing the strange ritual two blonds used to baptize their virgin collapsible shelter.

Inside, Seifer shoved his sleeping bag in the middle of the tent, pushing the martial artist none too gently to the left side. Zell kicked the blond gunblader's ribs, eliciting a grunt and harsh glare. Seifer threw his left fist to Zell's head, but the martial artist bent down, successfully evading the punch and ducking his head before lunging at Seifer's stomach. The right side of the tent formed a noticeable human shape when Seifer was thrown at it, almost ripping out from its frame.

Rinoa, Quistis and Selphie sat huddled together on the campfire, far from the scene. Selphie yawned, placing her head to Quistis's shoulder, almost fallen asleep. Rinoa poked the fire with a long wooden stick, watching the fire danced in an oddly calming way, obtaining warmth from it. Hugging her knees together, Quistis glanced at her tent, and at the three men who said they would set up the sleeping arrangement.

Well, Seifer said it. Zell took the chance right away, running to the tent and exclaiming his spot in the middle. Squall silently stood up, walking to his bag and drawing out his sleeping bag as Seifer ran inside the tent and started shoving Zell away from his declared snoozing area.

"Squall!" Zell cried when the blond gunblader started kicking the blond, and using his sleeping bag, wrapping the blonde, knocking the covered fighter down to the ground and started punching him, even though it wasn't powerful at all. "Squall! Help me!" the losing fighter's muffled voice sounded desperate behind his canvas confinement. "This isn't fair! Aaagh!"

Seifer snorted when Zell stopped struggling and curled up inside his sleeping bag accepting defeat. He tugged the material away from the crushed blond.

"It's settled then," he said. "I'm sleeping in the middle."

"Finished yet?" Squall asked plainly.

"No it's not!" cried Zell, glaring at his ex-roommate. "You're supposed to help me!"

"Hah!" Seifer scoffed. "Two against one? Wanna go at it?" He raised his chin to Squall, who started unpacking his sleeping bag.

"I just want to sleep," said Squall, swiftly sliding himself inside the bag when he had placed it beside Zell's. "Anything you want to do unrelated to it, do it outside."

"Fine!" Zell sulked, crawling towards Squall and his own sleeping bag. "But I'll sleep beside Squall and Selph!"

"I don't care," Seifer reacted. "But I'm not sleeping beside Puberty Boy, and I'm going to sleep in the middle."

"I'm not going to sleep in the corner," Squall said, not moving from his position. He shut his eyes and stayed motionless when Zell nudged him.

"Squall," Zell said. "I want to sleep beside you and Selphie!"

"And I will sleep in the middle," Seifer intruded. "Except you're going to let Messenger Girl sleeping in the corner, you sleep there."

"The hell! Why don't you sleep in the corner!"

"Because I won, and because I like sleeping with girls beside me," said Seifer smugly.

Zell started battering the conceited blond with all his might. Squall pulled the bag higher around his body, covering his head and ears while Seifer pulled his head back, dodging Zell's left hook.

"Are you guys done yet?" Rinoa whined, crawling inside the tent. Then, she shrieked as one of the men's fists almost met her face. "W—what? Stop it! You two, stop!"

The blonds stopped their pointless wrestle, looking at her.

"What is this all about?" she asked, sitting at the entrance of the tent. They stayed still for five seconds, before continuing their brawl. "Agh!" She crawled outside. "Quistis! Selphie!"

"What?" Selphie asked. "Oh yeah! I'm sleeping between Seifer and Zell!"

"I'll sleep wherever you put me," Quistis said. "Just don't put me beside Almasy."

"I'm not going to sleep in the corner," said Squall, who was supposed to be sleeping right now.

Rinoa resignedly placed her forehead against the sand. Just a few feet behind her, Zell punched Almasy's stomach, causing the gunblader to snarl in pain and bang his head to the fighter's forehead, eliciting a high-pitch yelp. Squall curled up even more when Zell flung Seifer into the air, passing the brunet below him. The tall blond landed on the left side of the tent, for a few seconds forming the similar human shape as its right side. Ducking low, Seifer rammed himself on Zell, but the fighter scampered and rolled in time, eluding the rough attack.

Outside, Quistis looked at her watch. "Do you think we can still visit the store now?"

"I guess..." Selphie answered half asleep. "Why?"

"Well, I'm considering a second tent, only the two of us."

Selphie peeked out from her half-closed lid, towards Rinoa who still curled up in front of the tent. "And Rin?"

"Well," Quistis said. "Yeah, she too, if she's not sleeping there already."

-x—

-x-

He woke up, sneezing.

Grumbling, Zell hugged himself, fighting the cold. He opened one of his eyes, studying his surroundings. Why he ended up sleeping on the very edge of the tent was something he himself couldn't decipher.

Beside him, Squall slept still, no sound coming out from the brown-haired gunblader, not even a low sigh of breath. Beside Squall, Rinoa slept, curled up towards him, her hair almost touching his nose, only a breadth hair away. Zell heard her soft breath, and every few minutes she moved her body a bit. Beside Rinoa, Seifer slept. He kept his back on the ground, not even a single movement from his stiff straight pose. His Hyperion placed above his head, similar to where Squall put his Shear Trigger, his arms at his side.

_Truthfully,_ Zell thought while extending his neck a bit for a better view, _he slept like a frozen mummy._

Selphie slept right beside Seifer, her sleeping bag not zipped up, hugging...

Zell's eyes shot open. She was hugging Seifer's arm!

Her arms were hugging one of Seifer's arms, and she buried her nose on it, probably due to cold. Seifer didn't seem to mind, if he even realized what she'd been doing. Quistis slept facing the tent, away from everyone, in the edge. She didn't let out anything, not a noise nor motion. If Zell had never slept in the same room as Squall, he would've thought she was dead. The two were too much alike, whether they realized it or not.

_It's not fair,_ Zell thought bitterly. _Why I'm sneezing alone here while he gets a hug? _He scowled, ready to tuck himself in once again when his bare foot touched something.

He narrowed his eyes to watch whatever it was in the dark. Probably a cat or skunk. He nudged the thing with his foot, realizing it was someone's boots.

He blinked. Once. Twice.

Then, a grin formed on his lips. He slowly unzipped his sleeping bag, careful not to make any sound. Reaching for the boots, he grabbed it. He recognized whose it was immediately. He tucked himself in, zipping the sleep bag up, still holding the boots in the air. He lengthened his neck a bit, making sure he wouldn't miss his mark.

With the powerful force of Zell Dincht, he swung the boots, launching his melee weapon to his target's head. It hit right on, with a strong impact and a loud thud. He pulled his hand inside his sleeping bag and shut his eyes when the target roused up right away and yelled out loud.

"Agh!" Seifer sat up, his hand blindingly searched for the item that thumped his head. He grabbed the boot and examined it. Then, he growled, loud and dangerous.

"What do you think you're doing, Puberty Boy!" he yelled, raising his foot up and kicking Squall's sleeping form. The brunette's eyes snapped open.

"What?" he said groggily. Seifer raised his fist and jammed it down to him, passing Rinoa. Squall rolled to Zell's side, missing the attack just barely. He glowered, raising his questioning eyes to the infuriated blond.

"What are you doing, Seifer?" he asked.

"What do you think YOU'RE doing?" Seifer raised Squall's boots, throwing it to him. Squall caught his footwear halfway up in the air. "Are you that desperate to beat me, you have to attack me while I'm sleeping?"

Squall frowned, moving his eyes down to the boots on his hand. He turned his head to the side. Rinoa was sleeping and he remembered smelling the shampoo scent of her hair. He looked at Zell. The fighter was snoring in low whimper. He shook his head, wondering if his bitterness did build up that much inside, he had executing _sleep-automatic battle-on_ to get even with Almasy.

"I'm not attacking you," Squall eluded, placing the boots back where he first put it. "It's not me."

"It's your shadow, then!" Seifer shouted. "You're pathetic, Pubes!" He reached to his Hyperion, with Squall eyeing his movement.

"What are you doing, Almasy?" Squall growled, his temper rising.

"Get your damn weapon!" Seifer snapped, grasping his Hyperion and unzipping his sleeping bag. "If it's a fight you want, a fight you'll get!"

Leonhart's eyes watched his rival crawling outside. He needed no further persuasion. Gripping his Shear Trigger, he unzipped his sleep bag and reached out for his boots. With a hurried movement, he wore his boots and crawled out.

"No magic," he said grimly to the waiting blond.

Seifer stood barefoot, Hyperion in his hand. "Just get your little wits ready, Puberty Boy," he barked.

Zell peeked with one eye to the two gunblader outside. Gradually, he slid out of his sleeping bag and crawled to Selphie and Quistis. He nudged his Instructor.

When she woke up with a frown, he whispered, "They're at it again."

Quistis turned her head to the sleeping area, noticing the lack of two hotheaded gunbladers. Her ears caught clashing sounds of gunblades outside. She moaned, massaging her temple.

"I'm too old for this," she said, sitting and moving out from her sleeping bag.

Zell yawned, and asked her with a sleepy tone, "Can I sleep in your sleeping bag instead? It's warmer in here than in my side."

Quistis looked at Zell's sleeping bag. "Sure." She reached for her boots, halfway wearing it while crawling outside.

"Stop it, you two!" she shouted. "What part of 'not hurting your teammates' you don't understand?"

Zell shifted himself, sliding his body inside Quistis's sleeping bag.

"You're not saying anything when I hit Zell, _my dear_ Instructor! Don't interfere with this!"

"You know very well Zell could kill you if he really tried, Seifer! Squall, stop this! What will you get from things like this?"

"..."

"Hah! See, he hit me! With his boots, while I'm sleeping and unable to defend my poor self, Instructor! Don't look at me like I'm the one who brings this on!"

Zell nudged Selphie, whispering to her when she turned to him, "Cold?" She nodded drowsily. "Come here," he said, pulling her into a hug.

The sleepy girl gratefully accepted her best friend's offer, warming herself in Zell's embrace.

"Squall, you're supposed to be the sane one. Please, stop this!"

"You know what, Instructor? I think he's bitter by the fact that I'm winning against Solange even with _his_ card, and I'm still acting compassionate enough by giving MY Minimog Card to her!"

"I did not care about that," Squall said.

"See? He's bitter!"

"Solange?" Quistis asked.

"Oh, it's just a girl he dated tonight."

"I did not date her."

"Oh?" Quistis's tone changed. "Date?"

"Yeah," Seifer added mockingly, "You know, she was twice his age! Isn't that amazing, new things you learn every day about your dearest team mates?"

"Twice your age?" Quistis said, half-accusing. "Squall, I never thought—"

"I did not!" Squall yelled, and Zell heard the gunblades clashing heatedly.

"You see, Instructor?" Seifer cackled. "Why did our stoic Pubes act this way if he's not dating a hag old enough to be his mum?"

"I did not!" Squall shouted. Zell cringed; it was only the third time his ex-roommate lost his temper. The outcomes were always ugly. "Just shut up, Almasy!"

"Oh, Squall," Quistis whispered soothingly. "I'm sorry, I don't know..."

Silence.

"If only I knew..." Quistis continued. "About your slight... different preference..."

A sound of something –or someone— dropped to the ground. Then, Seifer laughed out so loud it woke Rinoa up.

"Oh, Hyne!" he chortled. "This is precious!"

Rinoa yawned and went back deeper into her sleep.

"Squall!" Quistis shouted. "No! Remember SeeD manual! Don't hurt your teammates! Especially when they're unarmed!"

Seifer's hoot went louder. He was probably rolling on the sand right now, laughing at the furious brunet and the female blond who was struggling to hold him down.

Zell inhaled, looking around. Now, the tent was empty. The noise outside was a bit disturbing, but now, he would sleep so much better. He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms, grinning in a winning smile.

Zell Dincht placed his head on the pillow, closing his eyes, and sleeping peacefully through the night.

* * *

**_To be continued..._**


	17. Of All the Worst Possible

**Chapter XVII**

**Of All the Worst Possible…**

* * *

Dollet had a beautiful morning. When the sun climbed out and shunned the moon for a day, its light spread to the algid, white sand and the subdued cerulean sky, creating an affectionate maroon radiance; its warmth stirred Quistis Trepe from her insufficient rest. She crept out from the tent and beamed to the waking sun. Enjoying her time alone, she perched on the sand.

At the time like this, she cherished her solitude; on the beginning of magnificent day, once again she meditated and found the meaning of herself. The core of her being, the centre of her soul; a small, solitary glow within that—

"Okay, who's going to make breakfast?"

"…The one who proposed it?"

"Ha-ha. You do it, Chickenwuss."

"Not a chance."

"Me! Me!"

"Hell no. Not her. Squall, you do it."

"Whatever."

"Chickenwuss, you pack the tent."

"Why should I listen to you? You're not the leader! Squall, say something!"

"Whatever."

"I'll go and get some groceries for us then!" Selphie crept from the tent, half-wearing her boots. Once she fitted them to her ankles, she sprinted towards the town entrance, leaving trails of footprints on the sand.

Quistis hated the fact that all cadets were trained to wake up at the same time.

"Who's going to wake her?"

"Rinoa's not gonna wake up until she feels like it."

"Maybe she will, if her Prince gives her a kiss," Zell said.

"Well? Go kiss her, Prince Sulky."

"Yeah, Prince Sulky should kiss her." Zell yelped, bolting from the tent. "I'm just kidding, Squall!"

"Sulky is not fun. You already kissed her when you're asleep, you know; I saw your face in an inch to her last night," Seifer said. "Ooh, what's with the glare? You want another duel? Huh?"

Marching to the tent, Quistis flexed and seized the tent, yanking it from planted nails on the sand, almost ripping the material in process.

"What-" Seifer looked up. Squall was on top of him, hands circling Seifer's neck.

Quistis flung the material to the side, allowing the breeze to flutter among the teens. Rinoa slept beside Seifer, her body lurched when the frigid air fondled her cheek. Zell, seeing the situation, turned and trudged his way into the town.

"What are you doing, Instructor?" Seifer catapulted Squall to the side, sitting up. "Great. I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Wake up and pack." Quistis moved back to her warm seat. "We'd leave soon."

Squall fixed his collar, springing up. He ambled to the entrance, leaving without a word.

"And who's going to pack all of this?"

Quistis said nothing, instead resting on her previous meditation pose and shut her eyes. She heard a grumble and a rustle. The sleepy voice of Rinoa soon followed.

-x-

* * *

-x-

Selphie rested on the fountain, contemplating the brown bag on her hands. She hoped this was enough. They used all of their restoration items to heal both Seifer and herself after the TV station incident.

She felt a warm lick on her legs, peeking down. A dog gazed at her.

_Do I know this dog? He looks like he knows me. Hey, wait a minute..._

"It's you!" Selphie squatted, almost spilling her groceries to the ground. Thrusting the potions into the bag, she beamed at the dog. "Hiya! How are you doing?"

The dog sniffed her hand and let it stroke its head, woofing. Selphie held the dog's legs and behind, checking the vigorous canine.

"You're healed. That's wonderful!" Selphie whiffed a faint soap scent from the dog. "And you had your bath! I don't know if that's so wonderful for you, but-"

"Enya!" A boy dashed towards them. "Why do you run away?"

Enya hoisted its right front leg, placing it on Selphie's knee, whining at the boy.

"You're her owner?" Selphie sprung. "Hi! My name's Selphie!"

The boy twined his fingers behind his back. "It's a he."

"Eh? But you named him-"

"But it's a he."

"Oh. Okay. He's a cute dog."

"Is it you?" the boy asked.

"Is it me... what?"

"That healed him?" The boy strutted towards the dog. Enya skidded to his owner. "He's almost a monster's dinner on the Galbadian attack. He averted the attention of the monsters so I could run. But the last time I saw him, the snakes munched him." The boy seized Enya's leg. "He's okay after that. Gramps said someone must have helped him. Was that you?"

"He helped me too. He gave me a bone to distract monsters."

"A white bone?" The boy scrunched his lips. "That's our prized possession, third prize for winning Dollet Dog Contest."

"Oh-sorry." Where were the Anacondas again? With Ifrit and Diablos, she might win this time. She could take the bone back.

**_No way. I'm not gonna beat up snakes just for a stupid chicken bone._**

**I doubt that bone still looks like a bone now. The snakes must have composted their excesses to the trees along those cliffs.**

_Okay, forget it._

The boy rose, commanding to Enya, "Stay." He glanced at Selphie before dashing into the house on the right row of town.

Selphie peered at Enya. "You know, I have a friend who has a female dog with a male name. You're not the only one."

Enya whined.

"Yeah, I'm sorry to hear that."

The boy sprinted outside, panting. He forced something into Selphie's hands. "Here!"

"What?" Selphie looked down, to a card of an overgrown Moogle. "Oh! This is so cute!"

The boy's face flushed. "You think so?"

"Yeah!" The numbers on the card were high. "This is a rare card, right?"

"It's Minimog." The boy traced an imaginary circle on the ground with his foot. "You can have it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You like cards, right?"

_Not for the purpose of playing, but- _"Yes, I do! Are you sure?"

"You saved Enya." The boy stomped his imaginary circle. "That is my thank you."

"You're welcome." Selphie smiled.

"No big deal." The boy's face flushed even more. "Mom won it from a stranger, so it's not that important for me."

"Um-is this your mom's?"

"No, it's mine!" The boy stooped down, erasing his imaginary circle. "She always gave her prized cards to me."

"Hey!" An old man hobbled from the house, glaring at the boy. "What am I talking about not taking the model when I'm painting?"

The boy stood. "But, Gramps, it's mine anyway!"

"Your mother told me to paint the clone before you lose it." The old man turned his violet eyes at Selphie. "I'm sorry, can I have the model back?"

Selphie turned over the card. The boy stepped in line.

"Gramps! She saved Enya so I gave the card to her! You have no rights to take it back!"

"Just like you have no rights to take the model from me while I'm drawing."

The old man and the boy glowered to one another. Selphie peeked at the card.

_Not that I need this card anyway…_

**_You can give it to your Sorcerer,_** Diablo said. **_He'll be happy._**

_Is Seifer a card player?_

**Or you can give it to Squall. **

_I'll give it to Seifer then._

"You're unfair! You and mom cares more about the Cards than me!" The boy stomped on the old man's instep and darted into the house.

The man howled in pain, yelling to the boy, "You little brat!"

Selphie held the card against her chest, unsure of how she should react.

The old man groaned, turning to Selphie. "I'm sorry." He cast his eyes to Enya who tilted its head. "I assumed you're the one who saved Enya during the Galbadian attack?"

Selphie nodded.

"Then, feel free to..." The old man glanced to the card, as if ready to snatch it but abort his plan in the end. "Feel free to have it." He hobbled back into the house.

"Wait! Do you really need it?" Selphie offered the card. "It's okay; I don't really play Cards so-"

The man stopped, shaking his head. "For saving Enya. He's my grandson's only friend in this town."

"Thank you!"

The old man glanced to Selphie, smiling sideways. "You're welcome, young miss."

Selphie tilted her head, watching the old man vanished into his house. She wondered where she had seen the smile before. Strange. She had seen the same smile and the same-but more youthful-violet eyes. Where had she met another person who had the same features?

-x-

* * *

-x-

"Ah!" Nida crouched, his hand covered his head, ducking as the ashtray flew on top of him. One second too late and it would smash his skull. The ashtray got bigger and heavier since the last time he saw it.

"How can you let her see you, you idiot!"

Nida rolled to the side, avoiding a ram-head paperweight. If the ram didn't have such round and pointy horns, he might consider holding his ground. Then again, observing the way the ram smashed against the white wall, maybe not.

"And you call yourself a spy!"

Nida raised his hand before anything else was thrown at him. "We're talking about a sorceress in here, Boss!"

The Galbadia Garden principal glowered. "That's the only reason I haven't thrown this paper shredder at you."

Nida squinted at the paper shredder. He knew that thing needed electricity, the cable still on, and required more than a hassle to pick out from the switch. That might buy him two or three seconds. "Are you sure? That paper shredder was Trey's gift-"

"That is exactly why I have to throw it to your dense head!" The man bent down, jerked the cable connecting the electronic. "You and that stupid blonde are one and the same!"

"Weird, last time I checked we're not Siamese." Nida clutched the door handle behind him, ready to bolt. "Um, she's coming here."

The movement halted.

Seeing a good chance to stop the palpable assault on his fragile skull, Nida continued, "She called me yesterday when I arrived with my dog-"

The principal's eyes turned furious. "Dog? You dare take a filthy dog into my base?"

Nida gulped. "I left him-her-whatever on the gate."

The paper shredder flew towards his face. Nida scooted before the poor machine acquaintance itself with his head. He had to stay alive. At least until Trey came. By the way, had he fed Angel today? Hm, he should have. He couldn't remember-

Nida scrambled, turning to see the sharp point of the pen stabbing into the door on his right. Seizing the door handle, he secured himself behind the exit before saying, "Have you had your coffee, Boss? Would you like to meet my dog and-"

He shut the door in time. The sharp pencil made its way through the door and almost pierced his eyes.

-x-

* * *

-x-

Quistis waited until all the team members showed up at the resting spot. She gestured to a blank spot behind a dense habitat surrounding them. "We're not too far from Galbadia Garden now." After walking from the train station of East Academy into the forest, they had to travel a bit more before seeing Garden.

"Hey, I was just thinking..." Selphie closed the water canteen, throwing it to Zell. "There might be some bad news from the Galbadian government. What if we get caught and then get broadcast to the whole world?"

"Whatever happens, happens!" Zell swallowed several gulps of water and capped the bottle close. He gave it to Rinoa. "Let's just keep going! I—I'm worried about Balamb Garden." He bit his lips, looking at Squall. "You think the president will retaliate on Garden?"

"Maybe."

"Figures..." Zell's shoulder slumped. "B—B—But, we have a whole bunch of SeeDs at Balamb Garden. They won't lose to the Galbadian army, would they?"

"Depends on how strong the army is."

"I know, but..."

"Oh, you're just a great leader, aren't you...?" Rinoa glowered. "Do you actually have fun acting so callous towards your comrades?"

Squall rolled his eyes. _Not again._

"Zell wants your support." Rinoa dumped the water canteen on the ground, sprung straight and glared at Squall.

_I knew it was gonna be something like that..._

"Any kind of encouragement will make..."

_That's just to ease your mind. Am I the only one who thinks that? No, I'm sure Seifer..._

"Rinoa," Seifer said, his hands folded behind his head, eyes closed. "Let him be."

Rinoa whirled. "What?"

"That is how Puberty Boy reacts to everything. Just let him be."

Rinoa disregarded Seifer, instead trying to inflict her words through Squall's ears, "Don't you ever worry about or even think about the well-being of your comrades?"

_I don't believe in relying on others._

"Don't you understand?" Rinoa leaned forward. "Are you listening, Squall?"

Squall frowned, clutching his head. _What the_?

Quistis groaned, dropping to her knees. "Uh..."

Squall backed his body to the tree, sliding down. Quistis tumbled to the ground. Selphie glanced at Zell, who stood with a dawn of understanding on his face. He returned Selphie's gaze. When they realized neither of them had the familiar sensation, Selphie turned to look at Rinoa.

"What's going on?" Rinoa asked.

"I think... they went to the 'dream world'." Zell squinted at Seifer, who sat against a tree with his eyes closed.

Selphie sauntered closer and poked Seifer's shoulder. He toppled over and hit his head to the tree root.

"Oops!"

"This time it's him, huh?" Zell said.

-x-

* * *

-x-

Waking up with a moan on his tongue and pain pounding on the side of his head, Seifer took time to open his eyes. He raised his hand and massaged his temples. He wondered why his hand smelled like—

He smelled like blood.

Seifer squinted, looking at his hand. It was red. He turned his head to the side, frowning when he caught the image of a giant. The gigantic man swung his big harpoon on the…

_Enemy?_

Seifer sprung at once, hand darting to his hip. He blinked and peered down. There was nothing on his hip.

Where was his Hyperion?

Curses died before uttered. He lifted his hand, staring in horror. The blood was covering chocolate-coloured skin. His hand was dark. Seifer raised the other and realized he clutched a knife.

"Kiros, watch out!"

Turning to the voice, Seifer barely ducked when rounds of bullets discharged onto his previous head position. Snapping his head to the bullets lodging themselves on the wall, he shifted his attention to the source of the bullet.

The soldier who fired the bullets was shivering, lips gurgling out blood. Then, he dropped to the ground. A long-haired man cocked his gun and beamed at him.

"You're okay?" the man asked, eyes shooting a questioning glance when Seifer didn't answer. "Kiros?"

Seifer blinked, looking down to his bloody hand. He wondered if he was in some kind of movie. He had seen this long-haired man before. Somewhere…

"I'm fine," he said. Was he really fine? Was that his voice? Seifer frowned, his bloody hand touching his throat. His voice sounded strange. Shaky, throaty and a pitch too high.

Seifer stood and sheathed the knife on his back. The knife rested on the leather sheaths he had on his back. He felt a long braid, pulling the length towards his face.

He had a long, braided black hair.

The giant coughed, drawing the harpoon from the body underneath him and rubbing the blood on the harpoon on his victim's clothes. He rose, sheathed his harpoon to the holster on his back and turned to face Seifer and the long-haired man.

"Are you all right now, Kiros?" asked the big man. His voice, unlike his posture, was deep, low and gentle. "You're hitting your head hard over there."

Seifer peered at the stone wall, noticing the blood smears. He cast a glance around the room. Where was he?

"We're almost there," said the long-haired man. "We have to hurry." He patted Seifer on his shoulder. "Come on, Kiros."

Seifer touched his head, making sure the blood from his head wound didn't open up. The men marched ahead of him. Apparently, he was Kiros in this-who knows where-world.

_Might as well walk it_, he thought, trailing his comrades.

-x-

* * *

-x-

"He called you," Nida informed. He was out of breath. The plain was too far from Garden and he had no Chocobo. Why did he forget to bring Cerberus?

The redhead turned, his frown turned into a smile. "Nida!" He tapped the Chocobo's belly with his feet and rode towards the spy. "When did you come?"

"Last night," Nida said, waiting until the tall teen hopped from the Chocobo before prancing to him. The redhead pulled him into a hug. "How are you, Kino?"

"Eh, you know me, I'm always fine," Kino said, smiling sideways. "Are you comin' alone?"

Nida wished his brother wouldn't be so transparent. "Actually, I have one little beauty I want you to meet."

Kino's face brightened up. "Really? You're gonna introduce me to someone? You shouldn't have to!" Nevertheless, he fingered the rim of his hat and stood straighter.

Nida whistled. Without further await, a four-legged beauty ran and leaped at him, licking every part of his face. Nida laughed, looking at Kino's stoned face.

"Isn't she cute?"

Kino pulled the side of his lips to form anything resembling a smile. "Really beautiful. Really, Nida, you didn't have to." He returned to his Chocobo.

Nida cackled. "Oh, come on! I bet she is happy to meet you! Aren't you happy, Angel?" he asked to his merry dog, who barked.

Kino climbed his Chocobo.

"Hey, don't be like this," Nida called. Kino directed his Chocobo towards Garden. "Okay, sorry! I never said she's a human!"

Kino glanced at his brother. "You're gonna come or what?"

Nida smiled, dashing towards the free ride. "Can my beauty tag along?"

"If he didn't claw my Choco's back."

"Her name is Angel. I'm sure it's a she." Nida encircled his hand around Angel and carried him with one hand, the other reached for his brother.

"I have a nose. I'm sure it's a he." Kino shifted his body forward, pulling Nida's hand and securing the spy behind him. Angel sniffed at Kino while the man commanded his Chocobo to go home.

-x-

* * *

-x-

"Kiros," the big man-Ward-said, "are you sure this is the place?"

_How am I supposed to know?_ Despite his thought, Seifer found himself saying, "Positive."

"I don't want to patrol the wrong place, like last time," Ward said.

The long-haired man, Laguna, ceased in their trail, shaking his head. "Ahh, sorry... This ain't the place."

"Yes it is," Seifer heard himself say. "Let's go, commander."

Laguna drew out their map and scrutinized it. "I brought the wrong map." He glanced to the rocky walls surrounding them. "Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this. You know what the old folks say... The unfamiliar always happens..."

Seifer arched his brow. "You mean 'unexpected', right?"

"You only got the 'un' part right," said Ward.

Laguna scowled. "Let's just move out."

Seifer ignored a pain pounding on the back of his head. It wasn't his real head anyway. Observing the view around him, he decided he was in a strange dream. He was Kiros, a Galbadian soldier. The man—Laguna—was their team leader. Looking at the man who wobbled and tumbled every few steps, he wondered if they used a coin toss to decide their captain.

As if it was not enough, he—Kiros, was a dual-knife wielder. How could a one-hand giant gunblade wielder using something as small as two minuscule knives? He tried rolling the knife handle around his finger, attempting to make the weapon more familiar, to avoid becoming the scapegoat in battle. It ended with long trail of blood, thin scars and painful sting on his arms. The men stared at him, perhaps wondering if the hit on his head made Kiros dopier.

He was tall. Well, Kiros was tall—taller than he was, with darker skin. Seifer didn't mind it. He rather liked this physique. The only thing he disliked was the long braid. Why would a soldier grow a long hair? What use was a long braid in battle?

Seifer studied the room they had just entered. A set of moving conveyor belts hauled rocks and dirts from the hole in the ground in the centre of the room. The belts transported the materials into the hole in the rocks to the outside of the cave.

"This place is strange..." Laguna said. "What the heck is this big pile of rocks? You think these are natural rocks used for carving tombstones?"

"Who knows... or cares?" Seifer slanted his hip, letting out a sigh."What are we doing here anyway?"

"What are you talking about? We're here on command. Speaking of strange..." Ward scratched his head. "Why have you been... running around so strange?"

Laguna spun his body to meet Ward's gaze. "Strange...? What do you mean strange?" Confusion shown in his eyes. "Just bein' cautious. That's the basic rule of thu—"

"What's that?" Seifer sighted a man in the distance. Behind the man was a new pathway. "What is our command again?"

"Something about defeating the Esthar soldiers in here," Ward said.

_Wasn't Esthar vanished seventeen years ago?_

"Looks like we've got company." Laguna readied his gun. "Esthar soldiers. Still wearin' those flashy uniforms."

"Laguna..." Ward nudged his leader.

"Don't be such a weenie!" Laguna snapped and turned around. "What the—"

Three other Esthar soldiers crept behind Ward. Seifer reached out to his knives, wondering if he could use the thing if faced with an emergency.

"Wasn't our mission just to patrol...?" he asked. "Wait. Our mission _is _to patrol, not to do this!"

"Why does it have to turn out like this?" Ward lurched backwards, his back against Laguna's. Seifer poked their leader, pointing at their previous entrance, where three more soldiers appeared.

"Seriously...!" Laguna said. "I wasn't expecting this at all!"

Ward snarled. "There's more coming...?"

"You really want to fight?" In their current situation—and the inconvenience pain in Seifer's brain, he was sure who would beat who.

"Any suggestion?" Ward took out his harpoon.

"Yeah," Seifer said. A second later, he sprinted towards the single man on the other entrance. "See you guys later!"

"W—wait! Kiros!" Ward was stupefied.

"Better make a run for it!" Laguna dashed towards the same man.

The single soldier utilized the last time of his life blinking before Seifer concluded it with a punch on his face. The soldier tumbled into his back, his head toppled to the side. Seifer had no time to bask in glory. He stomped at the man's temple with the heel of his boots, carving a deep and excruciating damage into the skull.

Proceeding outside the excavation site, Seifer ogled a ladder on one of the cross paths. Laguna and Ward followed short.

"Huh...? A ladder. Guys, it's a ladder." Laguna grasped the metal ladder. "Looks like it leads down."

Ward pinched the skin between his brows. "Yeah, we can see. That, is a ladder."

"Hurry up," Seifer said, looking to their back.

Seifer waited until both of the men had climbed down the stairs. He scrambled down; two steps at once, peeking up. The raucous sound gave away their enemies' location, and he could tell they were close.

"Ou—cH!" Laguna wailed, holding his leg.

"What's wrong?" Ward asked.

Laguna ground his teeth. "My—leg—cramped up!"

"You're kidding." Seifer inched his way to Ward. "Can you remove the ladder?"

The giant arched his brow, yet without questioning rushed towards the ladder and seized it. He pulled the ladder from its frame, quenching and jerking it. The ladder obeyed the pressure, removing itself from the wall.

Ward tossed the ladder to the ground. Above them, several soldiers were yelling. Seifer nodded and turned towards Laguna.

"Phew... It's fine now!" Laguna stood straight. "I'm so out of shape. Gotta stretch before I exercise..."

"That running we had doesn't really count as exercise," Ward said.

"What kind of leader are you?" Seifer sighed. "No wonder this man hit his head to the wall to escape you."

Laguna turned towards the men. "...What? D'ya say something?"

Seifer scowled. "Let's just go." He didn't want to stay any longer. The soldiers would find a way to climb down soon.

-x-

* * *

-x-

Kino entered the office. Sitting behind the desk, the Galbadia Garden principal nodded, flicking the cigarette in the ashtray.

"I'm here. What is it?"

The principal gestured for him to close the door. Kino pushed the door close and crossed his arms, gazing at the headmaster.

"Trey is coming," said the principal. "Shut that grin off your face."

Kino tilted his head. "Why? I thought she's happy with B-Garden."

"She's coming on a mission."

"Oh." Ambling to the chair in front of the desk, he invited himself to sit. "So, what should I do? Give her a good welcome party?"

"You will replace her." The principal pointed at him with his cigarette. "Make sure you don't make the same mistake as her."

Kino blinked. This was new. Trey, making mistakes?

"Wow, Dad," he said, grinning. "Is this means I'm your favourite children now?"

He was glad he didn't blink. If he did, the ashtray would have smashed his face instead of cluttered on the floor.

"Watch what you call me," the headmaster said. He made a move to flick his cigarette, glowering when he realized where the tray was.

"What's wrong with calling your own father Dad?" Kino rose, taking the fallen ashtray and placing it back on the desk. "Everyone knows we are your children anyway."

"Shut up, Irvine." The Galbadia Garden flicked the ash into the tray. "I will call you when that group of SeeD-lings comes. Until then, stay in your room."

"Whatever you say." Kino made his way to the door. The headmaster pulled a folder on his desk in front of him and flipped it open. "By the way, Nida had this beauty in his room. In case you want to know."

The principal looked up from his document.

"She is a beauty, with amazing white hair and muscled body," Kino said. "I thought she was a he, but Nida insisted he is a she." He shrugged. "His name is Angel, so maybe he was fooled by that. Love does make you blind, though."

"I don't need to know about your sex life!" The principal took the ashtray onto his palm. Kino hid his body behind the entrance.

"They were kissing and hugging each other in the entrance earlier." He grinned. "She-he was slobbering him all over with wet kisses and even kissed his feet. All the people looking... you wouldn't believe how Nida reacted to that."

Kino closed the door before the familiar ashtray collided against him. The Galbadia Garden headmaster perched on his chair, frowning. Then, taking a deep breath, he sprung and turned his cigarette off before making his way to the door.

No, no way. Nida wouldn't do it. He wouldn't embarrass him by romancing a she-man. He wasn't trying to investigate-

"Hey, Dad," Kino said, waving to him when he opened the door. "Going somewhere?"

The principal blinked. Glowering to the redhead, he shifted back and closed the door, ignoring the soft snickers.

-x-

* * *

-x-

Laguna supported his back on the outer wall of the cave. "Don't tell me..." he faltered.

Seifer groaned. "Of all the worst possible..."

Lying on his back, Ward coughed into his palm. He looked at his hand, staring at the massive lumps of blood.

They had prowled their way from the stairwell, finding more Esthar soldiers lunging at them. Laguna had battered half of the soldiers with his gun, but halfway through the battles he shouted and held his legs. Seifer, with futile attempts to use the knives, managed to wound the rest. When he saw what he did to himself, he knew the Estharians were of better conditions.

Early on, the party had found several bombs and detonated the rocky caves. It lured more soldiers out. Between battles, Laguna whined about hunger and itches on his nose, stopped firing to scratch the bottom of his feet. Seifer wanted to strangle him, but the gunner was good with his weapon. Seifer had lost almost all the blood from self-inflicted injuries; he figured it was best to ignore the whining.

Ward had asked him between fights, why he enjoyed slicing himself with his knives. Seifer's retort was a 'watch out!'

Ward had turned around. Laguna failed to slay the approaching soldiers, one lashed out his Soul Crush at Ward. The man tumbled, hands on his sliced throat. Laguna managed to kill the attacker, but the damage was already done.

Trying to escape their dire situation, Laguna, who was the healthiest among them, smiled and tried to joke, "Look, the ocean... We're saved! Lady Luck is on our side! We can escape to Galbadia!"

Seifer clenched his teeth. "One would say we've been run down... That's what they'd normally say..."

"Don't say that. It might come true. Didn't your grandmother tell you that?"

"I don't even know my parents." Seifer plopped down to the rock.

"Huh?" Laguna frowned. "What are you talking about—we met your grandmother every week before she died!"

Seifer looked to the sea below. Ocean. Did Kiros know how to swim? "If you say so."

"Gh—" Ward gurgled. "—rh..."

"What?" Laguna crouched next to Ward. "I don't understand."

"Look at the throat. He lost his voice, stupid," Seifer whispered, placing his head in his palms.

Ward lifted his hand. "It... was... fu... you..."

"Say again?" Laguna held Ward's hand.

"It... was... fun... you... guys... La... guna... Ki... ros... It... was... fun..." Ward coughed.

Laguna laughed. In Seifer's ears, the voice sounded dreadful and terrified. "Ward, that's way uncool. It's not cool to say things like that. Just for that, you're gettin' the Cuchi-Cuchi treatment!"

He crouched, tickling Ward. "How's that, huh! Want more? Well?"

Ward shut his eyes.

"Um… Ward?" Laguna peeked at his lying friend. "Ward?"

Seifer wanted this thing to end, whatever this was. Nightmare, strange dreams, this had to end soon. He refused to die here.

_I refuse to die with a moron._

"WHOA! Check it out, a boat!" Laguna pointed to a small figure below. "We're gettin' on!"

"Good luck—with it." Seifer groaned. "It's called—a vessel…" He was tired. Was it okay to sleep here?

"Boat, vessel, whatever. We're going back to Galbadia!"

How did this man still chirp out like this? Where were his knives? Can he choke this bumbling moron with his blood if he forced him to drink—

Seifer felt a pressure on his back, looking up to see Laguna tried to push him off the cliff. With the last of his energy, he lifted his hand and grasped Laguna's armour, clinging to him.

"What are you doing?"

Instead of an answer, Seifer found himself falling down.

He saw aqua.

His head hit the water first; he started cursing—something he somehow unable to do inside Kiros's body. The last thing he saw was Ward's body, falling on top of him. The cold, salty water erupted around him, against him, cuddling him into unconsciousness.

"Oh... sh—No way!AH!"

-x-

* * *

-x-

Seifer snapped his eyes open.

Green. He blinked and saw green—eyes. Selphie crouched in front of him. She placed her chin between her palms, moving her heels back and forth. "Did you meet him?"

"Who?" Seifer lifted his hand, studied it. He touched his hair, examined the length and sighed in relief.

"Sir Laguna," Selphie said. Seifer pulled himself up, checking his body. It was his own. "He was there, wasn't he?"

"Sir?" Seifer growled. "I meet no Sir Laguna. The Laguna I met was a stumbling moron."

"So you met him?" Selphie tilted her head. "Is he okay? Is Sir Laguna in trouble?"

"I wish he's dead," Squall answered. He sat up, disregarding Rinoa who perched beside him. "That idiot—" he stopped, narrowing his eyes to Seifer. "You're Kiros, aren't you?"

_It seems I'm not the only one in that nightmare._ "Are you Ward?"

Instead of answering, Squall turned around.

"You're Laguna," Seifer said. Squall bent down and took his backpack. "You're that moron."

"I'm not the one who plays around and slices myself with knives."

Seifer squinted. "At least I wasn't the one scratching the bottom of my feet when soldiers pointed a gun at my friend's head."

"Doesn't seem like the first time for you all," Quistis's first word accompanied with a yawn. She wobbled, trying to stand up. "What is this…dream?"

Squall glanced at her. "We'll just be wasting our time trying to figure it out. Let's keep going."

Zell nodded. "Yeah, let's go! I think we're almost there."

The party was packing away their belongings when Rinoa approached Squall. She hesitantly called after biting her lips. "Umm...Squall?"

Squall stopped thrusting his canteen into the bag, peering at her.

"I think I may have said too much. I'm sorry."

"…"

"Squall?"

Squall turned around with a faraway look on his face. "Whatever."

* * *

**_To be continued..._**


	18. Halfway to Hell

Chapter 18

**-Halfway to Hell-**

-xxx-

* * *

"Wow…" Selphie stood in awe, admiring the gleaming red of Galbadia Garden. The Garden was bigger than Balamb garden, with several feet differences in height and bulky in size. The surface of the garden outer wall painted in red and black, the steel of the gates was polished and shining as they walked past it. Up in the air, several cadets flew in what she could only describe as winged backpacks. "This is completely different!"

Zell looked ahead, past several cadets who were walking in their direction; none of them seemed to care for the new arrivals. "Sure is quiet."

Squall gazed to the silent building ahead of him, already feeling settled in. "…I like it."

Seifer rolled his eyes. "'Course you do."

"Could you leave this one up to me?" Quistis walked forward. She ignored how several cadets that knew her sent questioning looks towards the group. "I've been here several times, and I know the headmaster pretty well." She turned towards Squall, blocking his view when one of the SeeDs recognized her and waved. "I'll go and explain our situation."

Squall frowned. "Shouldn't that be my job?"

"He doesn't know you, Captain."

Squall looked unsure. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stayed still until Seifer groaned.

"Ah, hell, it's just a Garden, Pubes. Nobody will do anything to her here." He stepped to her side. "If you're that worried, I'll go with her."

"No." Squall broke his stance and waved. "I'm more worried about you than the Instructor. You stay."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You guys can wait in the meeting room until I'm done. It's on the second floor, the first door from the stairs." Quistis turned on her heels and left the group.

"Can't we look around a bit?" Rinoa asked to Squall. She was standing on his side, her fists raised up and down, as if she was unsure what to do with her free hands. The captain hoped she wasn't thinking about holding his arm. "I mean, it will take a while, why don't we…"

"Woo!" Selphie was shouting. Squall frowned and looked to Selphie's previous spot. Of course she was going to run ahead, he should've known. "They have a Haste Draw Point here! There's plenty, Zelly! Seify, come here!"

"Wait for me!" Zell dashed into the entrance of the building. "Don't take it all for yourself!"

"Since when I became Seify, you little horse?" Seifer walked behind Zell. "How much magic was in there anyway?"

Squall groaned. Why'd nobody waited for his command? He glanced to his side and saw Rinoa smiling at him. She tilted her head.

_Great._ He covered his face with his free hand when she enveloped his arm with hers and towed him towards the red Garden.

x-x-x

x-x-x

She waited until the red-haired man finished his _Double Axel_, then raised her hands and clapped. The man turned and grinned.

"Heya!" Irvine flew towards her and embraced Quistis in a warm hug. "Nice meetin' you again, Q."

Quistis returned the embrace, feeling the familiar cold air wrapping the body of the tall seventeen year old. He always skated when he wasn't escaping his gun training by riding his Chocobo to the farthest field. It amused her to no end that he'd rather skating than doing hockey like most of the cadets. "I missed you."

"Missed you more." The man squeezed her and refused to let go. "Ah, what a lon' two years."

"Okay, you can let go of me now."

"Naaaw." Irvine buried his nose in her hair. She pinched the side of his abdomen. "Yeaw!"

"Is Nida here already?"

Irvine sulked, massaging his side. "Yeah. He's waitin' for you in his room. He brought a big dog with him."

"Dog?"

"Angel or somethin'." Irvine skated to the rink gate. "Dad said you've ta meet him first. I gotta take your job."

Quistis failed to keep her neutral expression. "You…?"

"Not that I want it." Outside the rink, Irvine crouched and untied his skating boots. "Let's go."

-xxx-

-xxx-

Shuffling his newly acquired cards that he'd just won from a Trabian transfer student, Squall glanced up when the woman he'd been waiting for walked into the room. "How'd it go?"

Laughing from seeing two familiar people doing pushups outside the meeting room, Quistis had to cough before calming down. "They understood our situation."

Zell rose from the sofa he sat on with Selphie. "And?"

Quistis didn't meet their eyes. "The attack on the president in Timber was classified as an independent action. Balamb is safe."

Zell moaned in relief, dropping back to the sofa while Seifer buried his gloved hands in his hair. He leaned on the wall next to Squall, saying nothing.

"So Seifer's taking all the blame?" Zell ignored a harsh glare directed at his head.

"When I said independent…" Quistis's eyes met Seifer's. "I didn't mean one person."

"Great." Squall finished arranging the cards into his preferred system. He opened his card box and placed them in it, carefully closing the lid. "So now we're terrorists."

"Thank you, Seifer." Zell turned and glared at the man behind him. "Thank you very much."

"Anytime, Chickie. Anytime." Seifer dropped his hands. "So what do I do now? Surrender?"

"The headmaster and I would like to talk to you about that." Quistis opened the door. "In his office."

Pushing his back from the wall, Seifer walked through the door, not even bothering to glance back. Selphie's eyes were on his back the entire time, and he didn't want to glance back and see that she pitied him.

Quistis followed Seifer, raising her hand up when Squall stepped to the door. "No. This is between us."

Squall frowned.

"Seifer's activity has nothing to do with you or your team, Captain. He's my student." Breaking the eye contact, Quistis closed the door.

-xxx-

-xxx-

Seifer's brows almost met his hairline when he saw two people crawled in front of him. "What are you guys doing here?"

They looked up.

"Seifer!" Raijin stopped whatever he was doing and stood up. "You're really here!"

Fujin was slower to stand, one of her hands clutching the balled up paper. "SEIF."

Seifer staggered several steps back when Raijin throttled him in a forced bear hug. "What, you two applying transfers or something?"

"No, we're messengers from Cid, ya know." Raijin released his friend. "Brought you a new order from Headmaster Cid, ya know?"

"What kind of order?"

"I dunno. Gave it to the head honcho here. Just did what Headmaster Cid wanted, ya know?"

Fujin slapped the back of her brother's head. "EXPLAIN."

"We were suppose 'ta go to Timber. But the trains have all stopped, so we had no other choice but to come here. Kinda relieved to see you here, ya know."

Seifer looked back at Quistis, looking pained when he asked, "Should I tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Raijin placed his hand on Seifer's shoulder. The man tensed. "Seif?"

Quistis tilted her head towards the headmaster's office. "We'll talk in the office. You two can join."

-xxx-

-xxx-

Squall stared at the door as Rinoa fiddled with the newspaper on the coffee table. "What do you guys think will happen?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zell leaned his head on the sofa. "He's going to go on a trial."

"Shouldn't it be all of us?" Selphie said, looking at her hands. "We're all wrong in this."

"We?" Rinoa opened the newspaper wide on the coffee table. She moved from sitting on the sofa across Zell and Selphie to the carpet. "He attacked the president." Her eyes lose their shine. "He sacrificed himself for the 'Forest Owls'…"

"Are you sure that…" The soles of Selphie's boots were torn. She forgot to check on them today. "That he did it all for you?"

Rinoa didn't even know what she was looking for in the news. It was better than looking up and meeting Selphie's eyes. "He's always full of confidence, smart… Just by talking to him, I felt like I could take on the world."

Nobody saw how Squall shut his eyes and walked towards the door only to stop in the middle of the room.

Selphie balled her hand into a fist then slowly unclenched it. "Your boyfriend?"

"I think it was love, but…" Rinoa tried to read PCS ads on a small box near the end of the paper. "I wonder…" …_usd 90prct gd chp 15k fst. Hmm…_

"Do you… still like him?"

"We were so happy back then. I was sixteen. Lots of fond memories—"

"I won't have it!"

Everyone gaped at Squall. His eyes were wide and he gritted his teeth.

"W—" Zell shook his head. "What?"

Selphie tilted her head. "Are you mad…?"

"I'm not having anyone talk about me in the past tense!" Squall choked and ran out of the room. Zell's eyes met Selphie's, and they shrugged.

"One of his 'Grah' moments." Zell was back on leaning his head to the sofa. Selphie shrunk further into the sofa, studying her palm as if she had just seen it for the first time.

Rinoa stood up. "Should I go after him?"

"Don't." Zell flailed his hand, his eyes closed. "He gets strange like that sometimes. He'll be back."

"Are you sure?" Rinoa resumed her seating position. Her eyes were no longer looking for anything past the ads. "Do you think he's mad because I keep talking about Seifer?"

-xxx-

-xxx-

He had been looking at several hockey games before he realized that it went nowhere, the players ended up beating each other and the referee, the score was cheated on and whatever flaming in his mind had vanished. Squall decided that there was a better thing to do than joining the hoot and jumping into the ring to follow the mass hysteria of Galbadian Cats.

He walked out to the entrance of the Garden. Zell, Selphie and Rinoa were standing at the gate and talking to each other, their conversations ceased when he walked towards them.

"Hey, Squall." Zell fidgeted. "They said we're waiting for the next order from the Headmaster."

"Oh!" Rinoa looked behind Squall. "I think that's him!"

A car raced out from the Garden and stopped at the gate. A man stepped out from the car and looked towards them.

"Just pretend I'm a SeeD, too." Rinoa grinned and took her spot between Zell and Selphie. "It'll be less complicated that way."

Squall frowned. He wanted to mention that it was impossible given Rinoa's wrong salute, but when the man walked closer, he moved to stand beside Zell and saluted instead.

Zell and Selphie shared a look behind Rinoa when the man said, "Good day."

_This is the man who talked to Headmaster on the cafeteria, right?_

"I have official orders from Headmaster Cid addressed to you. You all know about the sorceress being appointed as the peace ambassador for the Galbadian government. It's just a cover up. There will be no peace talks."

Rinoa tilted her head. "There won't?"

"The sorceress creates fear among people. Therefore, peace talks are impossible. Galbadia is planning to use fear to negotiate favourable conditions for itself. Galbadia's ultimate goal is world domination. Garden is no exception, either. The sorceress is planning to use this Garden as her base…"

**Interesting**, Ifrit hummed inside Selphie's mind. **This man knows more than he lets on.**

**_He's not into sorceress_**, Diablos gave an equivalent of mental grin. **_I kinda like this one._**

"Details of the mission are enclosed in these official orders." The Galbadia Garden Headmaster walked forward and dropped a roll of paper into Squall's waiting palm. "Any question?"

Squall read the mission paper and looked up into the headmaster's eyes. "The orders say by means of 'a sniper'. We have no one with that skill."

"Let me introduce you with our elite sharpshooter from this Garden." The headmaster clapped his hands behind his back, breathed in and shouted, "Irvine Kinneas!"

Ten seconds later, there was no reply. Squall raised his eyebrows. The headmaster's left eye twitched. He turned towards the gate and shouted, "Kinneas!"

"Mm… huh?"

"Kinneas!"

"Wha? I was just sleepin'," a voice was heard from behind a knoll near the gate.

"Get over here this instant!"

"Oh… Al… rite…" A man wobbled up from behind the tall grass. A rifle pushed up and perched on his shoulder. He tumbled to the group with sleepy eyes and messy hair, lanky body wrapped in an old coat, one hand gripping a brown hat.

The headmaster smacked the back of Irvine's head while the sharpshooter tumbled and fixed his hat. "This is… he's going to be your sharpshooter. Leave whenever you are ready."

The rest of the group stared at Irvine.

"What about Seifer Almasy and Quistis Trepe?" Squall asked.

"Seifer will join you soon," the headmaster said while shoving the yawning sniper into the line. "You can enter Deling City in pretension that you are escorting Seifer Almasy to jail."

"You're going to jail Seifer?" Selphie's eyes widened.

"It's all just an act. Once you have done the mission, Seifer is free to go."

Squall clutched the paper to his chest. "And Quistis Trepe?"

"She's going back to Balamb Garden just earlier. She will report this to your headmaster."

Squall blinked several times before wondering why he felt the burden in this world had just been dumped on his shoulders.

"Failure is not an option," said the headmaster before he spun around and almost lunged into the car. With that speed, Squall became even more worried about his last words.

"He's saying that just to spite us," Zell said to Squall. "We won't make it with this sniper."

Pretending to shoot the car when it drove away, Irvine whirled when he heard that. "Hey, that's not right. 'M the best in the business. How do you do…" He bowed to Rinoa and Selphie. "Ladies?"

"Certainly not good." Rinoa crossed her arms.

Selphie sighed. "We lost the Instructor and now we're delivering Seifer to jail?"

"We didn't lose the instructor," Squall said, studying the mission order. "She just went back to Balamb. We didn't lose her to anything."

"We're not delivering Seifer to jail either?" Selphie looked at Squall with hope in her eyes. The captain turned around and pretended he didn't hear that. "Squall!"

"What's the mission, Squall?" Zell looked from his ex-roommate's shoulder.

"It's a direct order from both Balamb and Galbadia Garden." Squall clenched his teeth. "We're to… assassinate the sorceress. We'll shoot her from afar. Irvine will be our sharpshooter."

There were collective "What?" around him when Zell groaned, "Great. We're all going to be Seifer's jail mates."

Rinoa palmed her cheeks in horror. "This isn't happening."

"Thanks for the support," Irvine said. "But I never miss my target."

"No, I was thinking that I won't be able to keep Angelo in my cell." Rinoa covered her face. "Thank goodness she's still in Timber."

Irvine looked confused and about to say something when Selphie pointed at him. "Hey! You're in the Card Queen's card!"

Squall had to look at Irvine for that.

"Mmm…" Irvine grinned in confusion. "Huh?"

"Hey, that's right!" Zell flicked his hand, looking as if he had solved the question of the universe. "I was thinking where I've seen that pompous look before. You have your own character's card!"

Irvine blinked before his eyes started to twinkle. "I am?" He smiled. "My dad loves me so much!" He stopped and murmured, "Waitaminute… that means he has my sis and my bro's cards too…"

Squall bit his lips.

"Lucky you!" Selphie swayed back and forth, careful not to ruin the soles of her boots even further. "My best friend has my character card."

Squall was almost giddy. He managed to make his expression solemn before asking, "Your friend in Trabia?"

Selphie was alarmed. She forgot about Squall. "Mh… I'm not sure where she is now."

Rinoa giggled when the fur on Squall's jacket visibly wilted.

Zell patted his friend's shoulder. "So, where to now?"

The friend smacked his hand away. "Eliminate the sorceress. We're going to Deling City to deliver Seifer before the ambassador parade. We'll meet with General Caraway and he'll explain the rest." He didn't hear Rinoa's choked breath. "Let's get going."

"Wait! Seifer's not here!" Selphie said. "He's our delivery item, right?"

"Aren't you happy he's not going to jail?" Squall sighed when Selphie looked down.

"Seifer's a big guy with yellow hair, right?" Irvine asked, and when Selphie nodded, he waved to the road. "He's gone ta the station with your Instructor. He's gonna be there."

Biting the inside of his cheek, Squall refrained from asking why their delivery item was following Quistis.

-xxx-

-xxx-

"Please explain about this again, Instructor," Raijin said, giving the mission order to Quistis. "Plenty of big words there, ya know."

Sitting huddled between Raijin and Fujin on the SeeD cabin sofa, Quistis tucked the mission order into her bag. "We're the shadow team. Our job is to make sure the main team that is Squall and the rest of them are safe and doing their mission."

"SEIFER," Fujin said. Her body swayed along with the motion of the train carrying them to Deling City.

Quistis nodded. "We'll save Seifer once the main team finished their mission."

"How'll we gonna help Squall's team, ya know?"

"That one is up to the General," Nida said, combing the fur of his sleeping dog. "We're going there now."

Fujin narrowed her eyes to Nida. "EXPERIENCED."

The spy gave her a wink. "Not the first time, that's for sure."

-xxx-

-xxx-

He was getting bored of waiting. When the team arrived, Seifer had his feet perched on the arm of the station bench and his head on the other arm, in the middle of a daydream. He opened his eyes to see his delivery team scowling at him, the captain had the worst scowl despite his attempt to look bored at the same time.

"Finally!" he said, swinging his feet down to the woods of station floor. "I was wondering if you got lost somewhere between the 'mission' and 'deliver'."

"It was between 'stupid' and 'jailed'," Zell said when Squall walked to the ticket booth and drew out his wallet.

Selphie leaped to the bench and hugged the tall blonde. "Seifer!"

"Oommph." Seifer breathed out when a lapful of Selphie grinned up at him. "We've just been apart two hours ago!"

"But I missed you already!"

Rinoa, Zell and Irvine tried not to look at them. Leaning to the wall beside the ticket booth, Irvine drew his hat lower and bit his lower lip. Zell turned around and shadowboxed when Rinoa walked to Squall.

"We're all going to be in a SeeD Cabin, right Squall?" she asked him, smiling. The captain shrugged. "I always wondered what it looks like."

_You're going to be disappointed._ Squall accepted the tickets and motioned for everyone to enter the train. Before he heard the whine from one particular SeeD, he swiped the card into the ID Machine.

**-Confirming… Access granted.—**

"Hey!" Selphie smiled. "You caught on!" She dashed into the cabin hallway.

"Hmm." Irvine hummed, following Selphie. "Perhaps it's fate?"

Zell frowned and trailed behind him before the door closed.

**-This train, bound for Deling City, will be departing shortly—**

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "This is the only train bound for Deling City anyway."

Seifer glanced to Rinoa, who stayed around and looked out from the window. He stared at the ceiling before saying, "Rin, can you go in?"

Rinoa turned around. "What, why?"

"SeeD's business." Seifer ignored Rinoa's curious look. "Come on, Rin, just go in there for a while."

"Well… I'm Squall's client." Rinoa fingered the frame of the window. The train started moving. "If this is about me or the mission, I have the right to know."

"The sorceress's assassination isn't your business." Squall watched when Rinoa took a step back. "Just go inside."

"Why are you telling me what to do?" Rinoa crossed her arms, mirroring Squall's posture. "I was there when the headmaster gave you your order. He thought I'm a SeeD."

_No he didn't._

"But you're not a SeeD, Rin." Seifer counted to ten when Rinoa raised her chin. "Come on, just for a bit. We'll talk later."

After throwing one last look to the men, Rinoa stomped into the hallway.

"I don't know what you were thinking about when you brought her out of Timber." Seifer leaned to the wall near the door.

Squall ignored the statement. "What is it?"

"Quistis and I talked about what happened in the TV station. She said that since the bonding happened…" Seifer grimaced. "Whatever that meant… I have to stay with Selphie until we find an explanation for this."

The captain didn't like how it sounded. "Meaning?"

Seifer snorted. "Come on, Squall. You're socially obtuse but you're not a moron."

Squall couldn't think about Selphie being locked in a prison. Something wasn't right in that picture. "The Instructor told you to bring Selphie along?" He looked out from the window. Everything was a blur. "To prison?"

"Of course not!" Seifer pushed himself off the wall. "I'm not going to put her in danger! And if you're doing your job well, neither of us is going to be jailed."

"But she is going to follow you to the prison." _Where is the prison for terrorists? _Squall only knew one place, and he didn't like what he'd learned about Desert Prison.

"It's just an act." Seifer began to pace. "Just an act."

"Stop." Squall saw Seifer's vein almost burst from his temple as the man froze. "Look at me and say that again."

Seifer never looked at Squall. He spun and barged into the cabin, leaving the captain glaring at his trail.

-xxx-

-xxx-

"Selphie…" Irvine scooted closer to the girl who tried to blend into the train wallpaper. "We're destined to be together!"

Selphie stammered. She shook her head. "H-huh?" Irvine moved his hand up and tried to hold her, and she jumped in her seat.

Seifer raised his brow. He walked past the two, drumming the side of the wooden bench with his knuckles and interrupting Irvine's next speech.

Irvine glowered at him, turning his amethyst eyes back to Selphie when she sighed. "A sigh of love?"

"N-no…" Selphie stood, hopping off Irvine's stretched legs and landing on the pathway. Seeing Seifer sat on the last bench, she lunged and bumped her rear on the seat next to him.

Irvine turned and sighed when he saw where his target had fled. He smirked and tipped his hat when Squall walked into the cabin.

"Pardon me." Rinoa was looking out and somehow ignoring his presence despite the sniper sitting beside her. "Oh, Rinoa…"

Squall shook his head when Rinoa stood and walked away from Irvine. _This is getting ridiculous._ He gripped Irvine's shoulder when the man stood to follow and pushed him down.

"Sit." Squall sat next to Irvine and raised his feet, placing them to the empty seat across from them. He may have saved the sniper's life, because two seats away Zell was red to his ears and his shadow boxing had become violent. "You're important for this mission. Behave yourself."

Irvine moaned and flicked the edge of his hat. "No, no. You don't understand."

_It'll be a disaster if I do._

Seifer growled when Zell practiced his punches right above his head. "Do it somewhere else!" He thought about it when the fighter glared to whom he wanted to land his real punch. Killing the only one who could actually finish this mission would land Selphie and him in prison. "No, no. Sit. Sit. I mean that, Chicken. Sit." He swiped away the straight punch.

"No one understands me…" Irvine began to sway. "Sharpshooters are loners by nature… we hone our instincts, pour our—" he yelped and crouched as a fist landed on his previous seat.

"I'll show you what I can pour at you!" Zell lunged to the sniper who crawled beneath Squall's legs. The gunblader watched with wide eyes when Zell jumped over his legs and almost managed to grab the fleeing sniper's hair.

"Nada! Nada! Not a chance! Just do me a favor!" Irvine ran to the hallway and pressed the button. The door closed and locked before Zell managed to pass through it. "And lemme beee…" he cackled and sang a horrible, off-key song while waving to the furious fighter from the glass door. "Ya get my drift, Blondie?"

Zell slammed the cabin floor. The train shook and a familiar sound of uncoupling cars echoed from the back of the cabin. Several moments later, a voice cracked.

**-Err, there was no damage to the train from that, err, minor vibration... I, uh... repeat... Err, there was no damage to the train from that, err, minor vibration...—**

Seifer shut his eyes. "We'll never arrive on Deling, won't we?"

* * *

-xxx-

_To Be Continued..._


	19. Gateway Cross of Brothers

-x-x-x-x-

**Chapter 19**

**Gateway Cross of Brothers**

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x-

"We'll take number eight from here." Nida motioned for Raijin and Fujin to stand near the bus stop. His dog looked surprised and sniffed around every area they were walking at the moment they exited the train. Nida patted Angel, trying to calm her down, but she looked weary and spooked since they arrived in Deling City. Quistis leaned her side to the cold metal of the bus stop sign, not bothering to look when the bus number ten and fifteen queued in front of her and people started crowding around them.

"Stop looking around, you'll attract attention," she said to Raijin while studying the curved path of the asphalt road. The buses left and they were alone again. In the corner of her eyes, she spotted Angel tried to wander off by itself. She grabbed its tail, causing the dog to jig and twist around whining at her, but she didn't lose her grip. "Don't."

Angel seemed to look past the block to somewhere only it knew, but then sauntered back to Nida. Quistis let go of its tail.

"The city is big, ya know." Raijin grinned. "You think we can look around after meeting this general?"

"I'm not sure. Ah, there it is." Nida waved when number eight bus appeared from the corner. "It's too late, I'm not even sure most of the shops are going to be open when we've finished the briefing."

Following the small group into the bus, Quistis chose to sit somewhere far from them.

She wasn't sure her idea of letting Selphie into their plan was received well. At least, not by Seifer. He looked enraged when she told him Selphie had to go with him. After a string of curses and his usual 'you're a stupid useless blonde head and you don't even have a clue what you're sputtering most of the time' accusation, he seethed when she pointed out they were still in the mission and he was still her sub.

_You know what they do to terrorist in jail, don't you? I know your history class chose not to point that out, but you do know._ He gritted his teeth. _You know why Desert Prison is the only prison for terrorist and why there is no women ever listed in there? Because they no longer exist. Nobody can hear their screams in the desert._

When she chose not to look stricken at that, Quistis knew that was for the best. Even now, she still felt queasy. She would save them before they have to go into that prison. She had promised Seifer, but as ever, he only sneered, not convinced in the least.

_With what, dear leader?_ he said, not bothering to hide his condescension, _with them? _He glanced to Nida, Raijin and Fujin who stood far away waiting for the train. _Against the trained jailer of the Desert Prison? I don't know if you've heard of this, but those jailers were handpicked from front field war soldiers._

_We're also trained for fighting, Seifer._

_We're paid to do so. We don't enjoy killing. It's a necessity when we're trapped. These soldiers are chosen because they are dehumanized._ Seifer looked lost. _Once we're in, there's no way out._

"Quistis?" Nida called from the bus door. "We're here."

Shaking herself out of reverie, the instructor exited the bus. The group was waiting in front of a mansion gate several steps away, two stony-looking guards standing on each side of the mansion entrance. Before they approached the entrance guards, however, Angel barked and yipped to both blinked and stared at the dog before whispering to each other.

"Isn't that…?"

"It is!" One of the guards crouched down and patted his thighs. Angel ran to him and almost knocked him over. "Angelo! What are you doing with strangers? Oooh, you coy! Yeah you are! You aree… gimme a kiss, you big happy girl, youuuu…"

Quistis studied Nida's face. He looked more miserable than confused. "So, that ends your happy pet story."

"Oh, shut up." Nida sniffed and looked down. "Always knew she was too good to be a stray."

Quistis approached the other guard, who looked at Angel and his friend with a silly grin on his face. "Good evening. We're here to meet General Caraway."

The guard's face changed, and he spoke the words that he probably had memorized since the day he had this job, "Yes, this is the mansion of Deling City General. He indeed lives here, but I can't let you in until you have been tested for your skill."

"Oh, this is crap," said Nida. "We're the one who puts that fake sword you all been using for that test. We carved the number ourselves. It's 97."

"…Pardon me, but your name…?"

"My name is Trey, and this is Nida." Quistis was tired of everyone in this city looking like that when people realized whom they'd been talking with. "Yes, we're them."

"S-s-sorry!" The guard scuttled and unlocked the entrance. "He's been waiting for you. Please, come in!"

"Now that's handy," Raijin said to his sister as they followed the pair into the mansion. "I wonder if we can haggle around here if we bring them with us."

Fujin was trying to convey how she thought the two in front of them were probably wanted and they could be killed if her brother announced that fact, but it was too hard trying to convey those into one word.

She settled with smacking her brother's head. "MORON."

-x-x –x-

* * *

-x-x –x-

_Caraway is the head of the Galbadian army… Could this be a coup d'état? No… I don't think he's out to overthrow the president…_

Seifer nudged Squall hard on his left rib. "Stop dreaming out of your toddler bed." He waved in the general direction of their befuddled team and hopping, flailing Zell in front of the general's mansion. "Chicken lost his head or something."

"What the hell's you're talkin' about!" Zell shouted at the entrance guard's face.

Caraway's guard wiped the spit out of his face. "The Tomb of the Unknown King is to the northeast. All you have to do is go there. You have to bring back proof that you were there."

"We came all the way out here for some stupid test of courage? Who does he think we are!"

"There are many students like yourself who wish to call on General Caraway. There was a student from Galbadia Garden yesterday, who has yet to return from the test. Look for traces of this lost student, and return with his ID number. You should be able to find what you're looking for shortly after you go in. The ID number is written on it. I don't recommend going any further than you have to. You may never make it back alive. Anyway, here's a map for you."

Irvine was the one who took the map, amusement written all over his face. "So, this is all you guys doin' with that we gave you years ago? Shoulda guess…"

Seifer frowned. The guard tried to ignore Irvine.

Rinoa yawned. "Can't we just… I don't know; do this in the morning or something? The mission isn't until tomorrow night, right?"

Squall gave her his best glower for 'are you being serious?', snatched the map and studied it. "Can we get some pointers on what we can expect here?"

"Monsters." The guard stared right at Rinoa. "Probably you guys should go by yourself and let the girls sleep in a hotel for the night. I can recommend Galbadia Hotel, it's near and safe."

"Yeah, sounds good," Rinoa said, grinning to the guards with open expression, as if they were best friends since birth.

Seifer rolled his eyes, knowing what the guard was suggesting for his boss's daughter. "Yeah, not gonna happen. We're in this together, right Rin?" He smirked to Rinoa, who replied with a bleak smile.

"What kind of monsters?" Selphie didn't like staying in the hotel when everybody was out adventuring. "Is it like Ifrit's cave, full of monsters with one elemental type? Oh hey, do you think there's a GF in there?"

"I can give you a hint. Three thousand Gil for a hint." The guards' pay was often not sufficient, so he had to do this. His boss's rebel daughter wouldn't say anything about it, so he whipped out his radar and waved it to them. "This is a location displayer. Five thousand Gil."

Irvine whistled. "What an easy money."

Rinoa stomped on his foot. Deciding to overlook the constant bizarre behaviour of the two, Squall turned to Zell. "You still owe me from the Timber bar. Can I have some of them now?"

"Wh…" Zell patted his blank pockets. "You're kidding, right? Where did I get the money? I never left your side since then!"

Squall stared at Seifer, who crossed his arms and shook his head. Knowing the cue for a miserly, he focused his attention to Selphie. The girl waved her hand and shrugged.

"No-no-no," said Irvine. "I can guide you, I know that place." Rinoa pinched his side and he yowled before detaching himself from her side. "You are one abusive lass! I kinda like it, only if we can fetch this somewhere private!"

Scoffing, Rinoa stomped the asphalt. "I was raised around here. I kind… of knew the way too. Not too far in, though." She grimaced to the sad look of the entrance guard. "Can I lend you some Gil for the radar?"

"What's good it's going to do? Your money and his coming from the same source," Seifer said. "I'm familiar with that place too, used to train there. Let's go, Pubes. Wipe that blank look out of your mug."

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x

"They left, Sir."

"Very well. Continue your duty."

The guard saluted the man and exited the room.

"Right on time," the man said from his desk. He focused his attention to a group of four standing in front of him. "Now, before they are back, I should brief you on what you need to know."

"We know we're the shadow team, General," said Quistis to the man. "We're their backup and cover in case they fail."

"That's correct. I'm sure you know about the Galbadian government's agreement with Sorceress Edea." The general stood up and circled his desk. "There is going to be a ceremony tomorrow to commemorate the event. It'll be held at the Presidential Residence."

He approached the window and pointed out a big gate in the distance. "Once the ceremony ends, a parade for the sorceress will begin. That's when the gate will open. Sniper team will head for the roof of the residence, on the carousel clock.

"At exactly twenty, the parade will pass under the gateway. At this point, the gateway team will operate the console to drop the gates. The sorceress will be trapped inside the gateway. The carousel clock will rise out of the roof, carrying the sniper team up as well. They will assassinate the sorceress at that time."

He turned to the shadow team. "Your job is simple. One of you will hide in the area inside the gateway before the gateway team enters and sorceress parade begins. I've set up a spot where you can hide. If, and only if the main team fails, you will have to come out to assassinate the sorceress."

Raijin gulped. "One on one with the sorceress?"

"INSANE," said Fujin.

"Failure to assassinate the sorceress will end in possible world chaos," the general said. "You must remember how sorceress Adel came to power. We can't let that happen. Not in Galbadia."

Now Quistis realized why the Galbadian principal switched Irvine and her. "The sorceress will feel it if there's any GF nearby."

General Caraway studied her. "That is correct."

"Which is why the only person who can approach her… cannot carry a GF but should still have magic in case physical assault fails." Quistis gave a weak smile to her team. "It's me."

"You, instructor?" Raijin wanted to say more but Fujin covered his mouth with her palm.

"SURE?"

Quistis looked at the shining gate in the distance. "Let's hope they don't fail."

"The other…" continued the general, "will commence possible escape route for all teams, in case everything doesn't come out right. I will give one soldier uniform to one person, so he or she can cover up as my soldier. This person will have to let everyone escape out safely. We can't let anyone know who commence this assassination."

_Of course._ Quistis sighed. _If everyone knows the General is behind all this…_

"The only one of us who looks like a soldier is this one." Nida pointed to Raijin. "I'll path our escape route and get back to you as soon as possible."

"VEHICLE," said Fujin.

"That's right. You can man it," offered Nida. "We'll make sure all of us are gone before they can find who does it."

He sounded so confident. If only Quistis was as optimistic.

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x-

Selphie still didn't understand why Squall was so stingy. If they rented that car, they wouldn't have to cross this island to go to that far, far tomb on foot.

She kicked the stray pebble and stomped, following the team. Irvine was in front of her, gaited as slow as possible. His posture was between extreme boredom and plain tiredness. Rinoa, Squall and Zell were ahead of everyone, sweat forming on their backs and their hair matted from dust and dirt. There were plenty of monsters. Plenty. Selphie had given up trying to beat them and let the trio in front dealt with everything. Even Seifer seemed slower when he had to unsheathe his gunblade, preferring to let Squall or Zell finished it off. The gunblader just walked between the trio and Irvine, arms crossed and looked like he couldn't care any less if any other monsters appeared and attacked them.

If Squall rented the car, Selphie could drive! She loved machinery and speed! If only Squall wasn't so stingy!

"This is it?" Squall called on Irvine, who raised his hat and peered for a better look. The stone cave in front of them was built of rocks. It was huge, probably as big as Ifrit's cave. Selphie never entered Ifrit's cave, though. She'd only passed it when she had to run into Balamb Garden on her first day. The inside of the cave was dark, and they couldn't see far in.

"Yup."

That was when two Galbadian cadets ran out.

"F-Float!" screamed one of them.

"Float what?" Zell called to the backs of fleeing cadets as Squall entered the tomb. "Hey?"

"I think this is it," said Squall not too far from the entrance. "Student ID number…"

"Let me guess." Irvine flicked his palm to the empty air. "Ninety seven?"

Rinoa gave Irvine a strange look as the group followed Squall inside. "Were you raised around here?"

Irvine gave her a smile filled of teeth. "You can say so. Galbadia Garden isn't far, right?"

"What's inside?" Zell looked to Seifer. "This is whose tomb?"

"If they knew whose tomb this was, do you think they'd name it Tomb of The Unknown King?" Seifer traced the grimy stone wall of the tomb. "I'd never go past this sword. That thing's been here for a long time."

Squall looked up. "It's not the student's?"

"You really believe that guard's nonsense?" Seifer motioned into the darkness of the tomb. "I've been here a lot of times. That sword was always there."

"Float, float…" Zell scratched his head. "I wonder what those girls were on about."

"Do you think there's a GF or something in there?" Selphie knocked on the wall. Made of real granite. "I wonder who made this place. Seemed like a lot of work for some unknown king."

**Dio, do you think…** Ifrit faltered.

**_I can tell where they are just by this vomit smell alone…_** Diablo let out a long groan. **_Yeah, this is the place._**

Selphie perked up. _What is it?_

**If you're interested**, Ifrit said, **there are two GFs inside.**

**_I don't urge you on trying to get them, though._** Diablo huffed. **_They're ridiculous._**

"Really?" Selphie flailed. "Guys! Ifrit said there are two GFs inside!"

Seifer grimaced while Zell turned to face her and said, "Really? Two? Squall, we gotta have them!"

Irvine's face paled. "How do you know that?" He coughed and tried to gain the team's attention. "No, never mind, they're not worth it. Let's get back to the mansion now, shall we—"

"Are you kidding me?" Zell jumped in place. The ground was muddy, but he ignored the splashes of wet sludge he transferred around with his bounces. Others scurried away from him. "Two GFs, man! Two! We can share them!"

"I'm with Irvine," Seifer said motioning to the way out. "GF's not that useful anyway; let's just finish this test so we can get to the hotel earlier."

Rinoa frowned and tilted her head. "I've never heard about this…?"

"Because they're essentially useless." Irvine crossed his arms. "They're not that popular or effective."

"But you know there are GFs in here," Squall said studying the sniper's expression. "Have you seen them?"

Irvine gave his best poker face. "Too many times. Trust me; they're not good for anything."

"I'll be the judge of that." Squall pointed inside. "Any GF is better than nothing."

"Waahoo!" Zell ran into the darkness. Selphie squealed and followed, while Seifer shook his head.

"I don't think this is a good idea," said Irvine next to him, when others had gone inside.

"I don't use GF anyway, what do I know?"

"Yeah… wait." Irvine gripped Seifer's arm. "You don't use them?"

Seifer stared at the sniper. "What?"

"No, you…" Irvine looked at Seifer's face, trying to search for something. Seifer raised his eyebrow, waiting. Irvine bit his lips and released the gunblader. "Never mind."

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x-

Quistis looked down from the spot General Caraway had put her in. "If I have to climb up the hole to get here, how I get down on time?"

Nida narrowed his eyes, trying to get a look of the blonde up inside a decorating curve of the gate ceiling. "You're saying something?"

Quistis cupped her hands in front of her mouth and shouted, "This is way too high. Can't he put me in the wall of this gate? What am I going to do when I have to get down?"

"Sorry?"

"Forget it." Quistis patted her sitting area. At least it was dry and quiet. Not even the sorceress would think about looking up to a small curve at the ceiling of the gate. If she crouched a bit, she'd be hidden from everyone's view.

It was easy to get up. The general had somehow made a hole inside the gateway. Quistis could access a small hatch built on the side of the outer gate, climb a small hole up to the ceiling, crawl a bit until she arrived at the curve right at the centre of the ceiling and had a comfortable sitting spot. It was probably made for the annual cleaning of this gate.

_If I really have to assassinate the sorceress, that means I have to jump at least seven meters down right on top of her._ She covered her eyes. _I can't believe I'm doing this again._

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x-

"Anyone else thinks this is a bad idea now?"

"You think?" Seifer wiped what was left from vampire bats out of his gunblade. "How many times did you hear, 'Chicken, just ignore those eyes.', 'Chicken, don't aggravate the bats', 'Chicken, how many times do you have to cast stupid Scan on the same monster?', 'Chicken, how about you stay here while we move along further and if there's anything left of you, you can join us after we get the GF.'"

Zell grimaced, looked down and removed a crushed eyeball from the sole of his sneaker. "And how many times do I have to tell you, 'Hey moron, Fire doesn't work.', 'Hey, moron, cast Poison!', 'Hey moron, are you deaf?'"

Squall looked back to Irvine, who was tailing the group. "Do you remember the last time you met the GFs?"

Irvine was checking his magazine. "Just ahead."

"Are they in some kind of a room or should we be prepared to see them anytime soon?" Seifer cursed when the bat wing refused to dislodge from his gunblade. He shook his gunblade, trying to remove the piece of what he'd skewered.

"Just move ahead. You'll recognize them." Irvine took out a bullet box from his coat pocket. "Just to let you guys know, I'm out of bullet after the next five shots."

"In other words, you'll be useless after one more monster," Zell said.

Squall took left on the next fork, and moved ahead of the group. He ignored the black blood matting his fur jacket and gritty feel inside his left boot. He frowned when he saw a figure statue in front of him.

"Dead-end," he said when the group caught up to him. "Where are they?"

Selphie peered to the wall behind the statue. "No more path. Are we lost?"

Irvine raised his brow. "Oh… seriously? You guys don't get it by now?"

Zell studied the statue's epitaph. "Hey, we actually can read this one. You guys remember all other stones we've seen earlier? They're all written in some language. This one is readable." He looked up, studying the big bull statue. "I'd say, this is one ugly figure. Can't understand why it's worth being built…" the statue blinked. "W—hey!"

Selphie hit the statue's bulging belly with her Nunchaku. The giant bull wailed and flailed to the front. Everyone shouted and skirted back when the bull crashed to the ground, face first.

"I knew it! Bully's alive!" Selphie pointed at the whining bull who tried to stand up. "His horns were shaking while we're talking!"

"Bully?" Seifer groaned. "You nicknamed a monster a minute after you hit it?"

"Uwooooo!" wailed Bully. "Why'd you hit me?"

"A talking monster?" Zell clapped his hands. "Aha! This is the GF!"

"Doesn't seem too strong," Seifer said, waving up his gunblade along with a cut piece of black wing on it. "What can it do?"

"Uwooo!"

Seifer blinked when Bully flung itself at him with amazing speed and rammed its head to his abdomen. He flung and crashed into the wall, air escaped his lungs. The gunblader jolted in pain and flopped to the ground, clutching his abused stomach.

"Did that answer your question?" Zell raised his hand and shouted. "Scan—Whoa, wait…!" He managed to cover his face before the bull's thick shoulder crushed his head. "Ugh!" Zell was flying and hit the rocks with a loud crack.

Rinoa shrieked when Bully looked at her. Bully stomped the ground and shrieked back. The stone floor shook, causing Squall and Selphie to fall down. Rinoa fled to the corner of the corridor and disappeared. Irvine had already crouched on the other corner, cocking his gun and aiming.

"Power. This one is powerful…" Squall readied his gunblade as Selphie screamed running away from the bull, who was now charging after her ready to tear her open with its sharp horns.

On the edge of the chamber, Selphie threw herself to the ground and managed to avoid the horns as Bully jumped and rammed its head to her. The horns jammed into the rocks.

"Whoaaaa!" Bully screamed. Selphie crawled from beneath him and started battering its body with her Nunchaku. "Noh! Noh noh noh! Noooohhhh!" It flailed around and tried to dislodge its horns from the rock.

Selphie whipped her Nunchaku as powerful as she could to the back of its head. Bully wailed as the horn jammed even deeper into the crack of the rocks.

"Noooohhhhh!"

Irvine face-palmed. "…Still no improvement in the mental area, I see."

Selphie bounced up and squealed, still beating the crying bull. "I win! I win, everyone!"

Squall aborted Shiva's summoning and clenched his fist. He turned to Irvine. "…Are you sure this is a GF?"

"If that isn't a GF—I'm going to—behead that troll and make its—head my blade keychain," Seifer said in short grunts, still clutching his stomach and curling up on the floor. Rinoa crawled to his side and cast Cura.

"Yeah, this is the half. A part of one." Irvine still didn't let his aim down.

Squall blinked. "Part of—"

"Brotheeeeeeeeerrrrrr!"

**WHAT!**

"Help meeeeee!" Bully wailed and punched the rocks it was stuck in, but it couldn't pull its head back. "Brotherrrrrrrrr! Theyyy bullyinggg meeeeee!"

**HANG ON! I'M COMING, SACRED!**

"Head hurts…" Zell was still lying on the ground. He didn't let his hands off his face. "I'm gonna die."

The wall behind where Bully was standing before started to shake. The humans took a step back as something was pounding the wall and breaking it down. Squall crouched beside Zell's prone form, gripping his gunblade a little too tight.

"Brotheeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr!"

**SACRED!**

The wall crumbled, causing a heavy puff of flying particles. A figure appeared from the back of the wall, moonlight shined on its form, casting a gigantic shadow towering the group.

"Brotheeerrr!"

**I'M HERE!**

Selphie swallowed hard when the figure walked into the chamber. The dust of smokes cleared up, little by little illuminating a shape. It was a humanoid bull, one of its hands gripping a hatchet. It stood proud and straight.

It was also as tall as Selphie's waist.

"…Huh?"

The mini bull looked up and pointed its hatchet to Selphie. **YOU! AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!**

Selphie opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She stepped back.

The mini bull dropped its hatchet beside its stuck brother, then jumped on its brother's shoulder and grabbed its brother's head.

Then, it started to pull.

"Aoooooohhhh!"

**I'LL RELEASE YOU!**

"Uwaaaaaaaaa!"

**DON'T WORRY, SACRED!**

"Woaaaaaaaaaaaahhaaaaa!"

Squall, at that point, had sheathed his gunblade, flopped down beside Zell and cast Cure. He gave Irvine a look. "I understand now."

Seifer, who'd felt a little better after three Curas, sat down and leaned his back on the wall. "Now can we go back or do we wait on the third bull for the steak party?"

"Are you kidding me?" Zell waved his hand. He was pale. "I want those two. This damn headache better worth something."

"I thought so too, but after the first try…" Irvine rummaged around his pocket. "I tossed them back in here again. However, if you want them…" He caught Zell's palm and placed a Dynamo Stone in it. "They're too big for Transfer Stone. And they're one summon."

Selphie didn't know if she should squeal of the tininess of the pulling mini bull or because Sacred started to drop giant, heavy tears and the ground around them started to get soggy. "But they're two! We can share, right?"

"Oh, no. They're one." Irvine placed his rifle on his shoulder. "Trust me, you don't want them separated."

**I'LL SET YOU FREE, LITTLE BROTHER!**

"Uooooooooohhh!"

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x-

Selphie peeked inside the Brother's chamber. It was a few steps away from the back of Sacred's chamber, and Squall was the one bolting ahead of the big hole after Zell told him the Brothers had GF Cards. Seifer followed soon after, murmuring something about possible treasure.

The chamber was made from brighter stones than the rest of the tomb. Several rocks were placed in as substitute of chair and table in one corner. An old, ratty carpet was on the floor covering the stone. It was in pieces, already ripped off by time and ticks. The chamber used to have a door, now shattering pieces of woods were lying near the decrepit frame when Selphie walked in.

A stone coffin sat in the centre of the chamber, near it was bunches of old curtains, still showing their rich patterns but had torn and ripped to unsalvageable shape. She saw Squall standing beside it, touching two cards. His expression was solemn enough that she knew he cared about nothing else.

Seifer was on the other side of the room, staring into the coffin. He clutched a long white cloth. He looked lost, staring between the coffin and the cloth in his palm.

Selphie approached them. She glanced inside the coffin. It was empty.

"Heey, Cura draw point," she heard Zell exclaim outside the chamber.

"Do you think there's someone inside this coffin earlier?" Selphie asked Squall, who shrugged.

"Whatever."

"This… was there," Seifer said. He showed the cloth to Selphie. "Have you—seen this before?" He uncovered the cloth.

It was a cloak. A giant red-cross sign was on its back. Selphie stared at the symbol. Then, she looked at Seifer's coat, to the red-cross insignia on his arm.

"Is… that what I think it is?" Selphie looked up to Seifer's face. "Yours?"

"This coat—isn't mine," Seifer said. "It's... I have to—" He faltered, but then folding the cloak with a precise and gentle motion. He tucked it into his inner coat pocket. "I've to get out."

Selphie kept her eyes on Seifer's back before he disappeared from the chamber. Zell whistled as he entered the chamber, his eyes not as vibrant as before but beginning to show their usual shine.

"This is cool." Zell opened his arms wide and circled around the coffin. "Do you believe Sacred and Minotaur were King's guards? Heh. I didn't believe it until I saw this place."

Selphie locked her eyes on Zell's head. She was hoping she could have the bulls, but by personality alone, Zell was the best host. "Did they guard the King's corpse? Which King?"

"Dunno. They didn't say anything about him. They did say…" Zell tapped his lips and grinned while listening to his new mental mates. "He's a handsome and fair king, if only somewhat impish and too fair."

"Let's get out of here," called Irvine from the outside. "It's getting really late. We have to meet the General before tomorrow."

-x-x-x-

* * *

-x-x-x-

Standing in the centre of the room, Squall crossed his arms and looked around the general's office. Irvine was sitting on the general's chair, head leaned on the chair, eyes closed, one hand tapping the rifle perched on his stretched feet. Zell was shadow boxing near the bookcases, being careful not to topple over the torch floor lamps on each side of the corner bookcase. Selphie was humming and looking outside the window she leaned on. Seifer leaned on the wall beside Selphie, hands massaging his neck and his eyes closed. Rinoa sat on the sofa near Squall, head down, studying her joined hands.

"Umm… Squall," Rinoa whispered. "Is my contract…still in effect?"

…_What is it this time?_

"Don't leave me in this house, ok? Want me to explain why?"

_This might take a while…_ "Just tell us what to do and we'll do it."

"Okay, then. Thanks." Rinoa looked to the door. They'd been waiting for a while now. "Hmph… He always does this! So discourteous…making people wait. I'm gonna go complain. Everyone just wait here."

She made her way to the door, but then stopped and turned. She grinned to everyone. "Oh, by the way, this is my house. So don't worry."

"Say what?" Zell turned when the door closed.

A moment later, the general entered his office. He arched his brow at Irvine. The sniper saluted him and left his chair, but not moving very far from it.

General Caraway sent his glances around the room. "I believe all of you are SeeDs?" he said, looking for confirmation nods. Once his eyes reached Seifer, he glared. Seifer smirked.

"So the father's a top military officer, and the daughter's a member of an anti-government faction? " Zell said. "That's bad…"

The general didn't give anything away. "Yes, indeed. It's a serious problem. But it doesn't concern you. It's our problem." He approached his desk. "Besides, we have far more important things to worry about."

"Once our mission is accomplished here," Squall said, "we're working for Rinoa, as per our contract. I don't know what your situation is, but please don't interfere when the time comes."

"And if I do?"

"We're all SeeDs here. We'll act accordingly."

"Hey, hey, hey… Fellas…" Irvine intervened. "We're here to knock off the sorceress, right? So let's get down to business."

General Caraway straightened his back. He looked at all the young SeeDs, casting one last withering glare to Seifer. "Very well. Let's go outside now."

-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-

* * *

_To be Continued…_


	20. All Set

Chapter 20

**All Set…**

* * *

**-x—**

**-x-**

"That is all." The General ended their tour a few houses away from his mansion. "You're free to go anywhere. Check out the city if you wish. Just one thing," he said glancing at the tallest in the team. "Stay out of trouble."

Squall didn't have to look back to know how Seifer sneered. "We are SeeDs."

General Caraway raised his brow. "Report to my mansion tomorrow. We'll proceed with the operation."

"Finally," Zell said when the general was out of view. "Thought it's gonna be all night."

"You should've asked for our down payment from him earlier." Seifer crossed his arms. "What are we going to do with so little allowance you have? We can't sleep in Galbadia Hotel for free." He motioned to Selphie, who was rummaging the team wallet she held and pulling whatever left of it.

"A hundred Gil." Grabbing one paper of a hundred Gil, Selphie peeked inside the empty old wallet. "I used everything else for groceries in Dollet and our train tickets to here."

Squall patted his pocket and slowly pulled out a hundred Gil. "The rest was already in that wallet."

"I owe Squall money," said Zell as Selphie reached for him with her palm up, "but Selph, I gave it to you for our team cash before we camped, remember?"

Selphie blinked. "I don't have any money left. I put my item sales' money from the Garden into this wallet."

Irvine showed his fifty Gil inside his wallet. "I can't give this; I need to buy ammos for tomorrow. I'm out of everything."

"So two hundred." Selphie took a hundred from Squall. "We still have five Potions and one Phoenix Down. One night at the hotel will be…"

"Two hundred Gil for one room," said Irvine. "There's a junk shop in this city. I think ya'll want to upgrade weapons here, they have good selections. I don't think my money alone'll be enough to buy the ammo, 'cause one normal bullet is twenty Gil and I'm gonna need at least ten boxes of a hundred bullets a month."

"Whoa whoa whoa." Zell waved his hands in front of the sniper. "Squall, why'd you take this guy? He's sucking more Gil a month than my food cost for a year!"

"Unless you can make my ammo, we have to buy at least two boxes." Irvine shrugged. "I'm expensive. Why'd ya think my fa— principal gave me out so freely?" He pointed to the rifle strapped on his back. "No jobs, no Gil, no ammo."

"We do have to buy him bullets for tomorrow's mission." Squall looked down. "Two hundred fifty Gil, forty two ammo."

"Yeah, then we'll all go sleep in the street." Zell scowled.

"Better buy a cap too then," said Irvine. "Put it in front of us while sleepin' and hopin' tomorrow there's some coins."

"There's one person who said nothing when I start asking for cash," said Selphie.

Seifer glowered when the team stared at him. He reached into his inner coat pocket, making a show of pulling his wallet out as slowly as possible.

"Damn it, Seifer!" yelled Zell.

"Shut it, Yappy." Seifer reached into his wallet and grabbed three thousand Gil. He shoved it into Selphie's hand.

Squall covered his eyes, suddenly tired. Irvine whistled and peeked into Seifer's fat wallet, earning a half-hearted smack from the blonde. Zell breathed in as long as possible, clenched his fists and closed his eyes as Selphie shook her head, said nothing and put the money into their team's wallet.

"What?" Seifer huffed. "It ain't coming from this mission. Why do _I_ have to pay for _your_ team? I'm not going to get any refund!"

"You're mingy. You're Hyne-damn mingy."

"At least I'm not sucking dead poor, Chickie."

"You fuc—"

"Wait, no! Squally, grab Seify! Wait! Don't start this on the street!"

"So what? So what, Puny? What are you gonna do, you poor Chicken?"

_Not this again._ "Seifer. Stop."

"Damn you, worthless poser! Let me off, Selph!"

"Anyway, can I get the money for the ammo now? Gotta buy them before the item shop closin' on me. Guys?"

-x-

* * *

-x-

"If you have cards you want to turn into items, I can convert it to you at the cost of Gil," The junk shop keeper said while Seifer flipped the weapon catalogue, looking unimpressed. Standing beside him, Irvine leaned his body on the counter, counting the ammo boxes he just bought.

"None of this is for my gunblade." Seifer put the catalogue down as Squall walked into the shop. The captain looked brighter. At least he didn't scowl. "And here's another one."

Squall waved his hand when the shopkeeper handed him the catalogue. "No, I already have my Shear Trigger." He raised a card and waited for both men to notice it.

"Is that…Kiros?" Seifer reached out but Squall pulled it back in time. "Kiros' Card? Why—how'd you get that?"

"From the man in front." Squall pulled out his card box and carefully placed his winning prize in. _He's the friend Solange mentioned in the bar._

"Who's Kiros?" Irvine looked confused. "You play Card, Squall?"

"It's a surprise you just found out now." Seifer already headed out.

"Huh." Irvine followed. "Talkin' bout Cards… I think I overheard the General order one for his daughter."

"Rinoa's Card?" Squall tailed them out. "Wait! Is this true?"

"You want her Card?" Irvine grinned. "Eh, I should've known. The lady's somethin' else, right?"

"One way to put it," Seifer said and left the pair for Selphie and Zell who were waiting across the Shopping Arcade. "Anything else you kids want?"

"Seify, this uncle said the hotel has a huge train set!" Selphie beamed. "Let's go! Let's go!"

The tall man in black, who had just lost his Kiros Card to Squall, grimaced. "Uncle?" He shook his head when the trio left and switched his attention to Squall and Irvine. "Hey kid, take care of that one. She's gonna kill me if something happens to it."

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

"Talking about Card, so you met Solange at Dollet, eh? She just changed her rules a few days ago. So you won against her…" The tall man sighed. "Next she said she wants to release a new set of Cards. But of course she wants something back."

Squall blinked.

"Yeah, something about wanting one of the GF from the Unknown Tomb for her son." The tall man frowned and looked at Irvine. "Nice eyes you got there."

Irvine gave a confused smile. "…Thanks?"

"You look like her father. Thought purple eyes are rare or something. Guess not."

"Back to the Card," said Squall. "She wants one of the GF Cards from the Tomb before releasing a new one?"

"She got one hell of a spoiled kid. That kid just gave away the Minimog Card she gave him to a girl he has a crush on, and now this."

Irvine took a step back when he saw Squall's face. "…Um, Squall?"

"He-gave-Minimog-Card-to—" Squall breathed in and out, but the rage on his face was still there. "He-gave—"

Away from them, a few steps away from Galbadia Hotel, Selphie said, "Squall won Kiros's Card from that man?"

"Leave it to Kitty to find the most accidental time and the most accidental person."

"Heh, shouldn't tell Squall that you got a good Card then, Selph," Zell said.

"Good Card?"

"Oh, this!" Selphie pulled out a Card from her pocket. It was already torn on one edge. "Oh. Guess I ruined it on the train…"

Seifer was speechless when he saw a Minimog Card. The one he gave to Solange.

"Cute, right?" Selphie grinned, smoothing the Card from its obvious lack of care. "If there's more cute Cards like this, I want to get them all!"

Smirking, Seifer patted Selphie's hair as they entered the Hotel. "Then I'll get it for you."

Zell rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on."

"Really? Really?"

"I will. Just promise me," Seifer said, "never show any of them to Pouty."

"You gotta be kidding me," Zell said once he saw who was standing beside the huge train model inside the hotel lobby.

Selphie smiled from ear to ear. "The Card Queen!"

Solange barely gave them any attention. "…You guys. Again."

"Nice meeting you again and all," Seifer said. "Just wait until we're all complete. One of us will fly to heaven upon meeting you."

"Whoa, it's a really huge train set!" Selphie ran to the train model. "Awesome!" Then she stopped and looked around the lobby. "…This is where Laguna…"

"Met Julia," finished Zell. "I'm gonna check around the hall. Maybe she's still playing the piano there?"

"Julia playing the piano…" Solange said. "As in Julia Caraway?"

"You know her?" said Zell.

"Caraway?" Seifer blanched.

"Who doesn't know the General's wife?" Solange put a hand over her mouth, murmuring, "I mean, late wife."

Selphie looked up from the train set. "She doesn't marry Laguna?"

Solange frowned. "Julia Caraway knew Laguna?"

"She's dead?" Selphie said.

"You know Julia and Laguna?" Zell said.

"Who doesn't know Laguna?" Solange asked back.

"We've never been here," said Zell. "So Laguna never dated Julia or she left him for the General?"

"Poor Sir Laguna," Selphie said. "So she just decided to marry the General instead of just a soldier?"

"Laguna wasn't a soldier." Solange folded her arms. "He's a movie star. He played in several big films. He's not a Sir, never really knighted."

"He's an actor?" Selphie shook her head. "No, he's a soldier!"

"He's an actor," Solange said, "he's well-known for being type-casted as Knight. So you guys have never seen any of his movies?"

Seifer massaged his temple, feeling the beginning of a headache. "So you kids dreamed about Julia Caraway, the pianist who worked here when she met Laguna, who was actually an actor instead of a soldier. She married the General and was the mother of Rinoa. Which means…" _Shit, we're dreaming ancient stuff. _

"Julia wasn't just a pianist," said Solange, "she was also a popular ballad singer. She had always dated the General since he was still a lieutenant. What kind of nonsense did you guys watch? Is it some kind of fictional story where they have met in another world? Maybe it's one of Julia's failed works into the film industry."

Zell grabbed his head trying to stop his view from spinning. "My head is about to explode."

Seifer's eyes met Selphie's. Was it possible that they have watched the same movie about Julia and Laguna playing as other people? Was it the reason for their dream-sync?

"Maybe something we're all forced to watch as a new cadet?" Selphie said. "If all Garden has the same policy about new cadet, then…"

"That explained his ridiculous behaviour," Seifer said. "All acting. Soldier my ass."

"He's good at playing a fool," Zell said.

"You!" A blur of black and fur went passed them, grabbing Solange's arm. "You want whose Card for the new stuff?"

Solange blinked, waiting until the blur stilled and became the melancholy-ridden boy. "Oh, you."

"Whose Card?" the melancholy-ridden boy pressed. "I have Sacred and Minotaur's Card."

"I'll be surprised how you know this but since you really need your fix…" Solange thought about her son. "The big one, the big bull."

The melancholy-ridden boy nodded, preparing to take out his shiny Card box that Solange had seen many times before. "Let's play."

"Man, he's really addicted," Irvine said sauntering in. He wasn't in any hurry when he saw everyone still standing in the lobby.

Solange turned to the new face, opened her mouth and widened her eyes.

Squall turned to see what made Solange so frozen, and sighed. "Hurry up."

Solange pulled her arm away from the Card-addict grip, and walked to Irvine, almost in half-daze. "Irvine…"

Irvine tilted his head and removed his hat, bowing a bit. "Do I know you, Ma'am?"

Seifer grimaced. "Snipe, don't tell me this is one of your conquest."

"I would've known," said Irvine, ignoring the looks everyone shot towards him. "I would've known since the lady is so lovely."

"Hyne." Zell palmed his face.

Selphie studied Irvine and Solange's faces, and hummed, "Strange." Zell looked at her, and she smiled. "Tell you later."

"I—" Solange was in front of Irvine. "May I touch you?"

"Here?" Zell yelled. "Hey, there's a room upstairs!"

Irvine smiled. "Of course. As you wish, Ma'am."

Solange pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms on the sniper's back. Keeping his rifle and hat on one hand, Irvine returned the embrace with another hand.

Squall scowled when the hug went for a long time. Neither party seemed to be in a hurry to break it off. He did not stomp towards them, he did not. "Can you do this later, Kinneas? I'm in a hurry here."

Irvine narrowed his purple eyes. "Nobody taught you to mind your manners?"

Seifer grinned when Squall took a step back. "Touché."

With obvious hesitation, Solange drew back while smiling. Irvine smiled back, wondering why she looked so sad despite the pull of the lips.

"Yes, well," Solange said. "I'll tell you where you can get Irvine's Card later."

"My Card?" Irvine asked.

Squall was almost back to his rage face ten minutes earlier. "It's not with you?"

"Of course not." Solange raised her chin. "I wouldn't risk losing it in the game. I gave it to my friend."

"Squall," Zell said looking at his friend trying to breathe in and out. "Relax. Come on. She always did this, remember?"

Squall raised his hand for once wishing everyone would just shut up and let it done with. "Galbadian Rules. I have Sacred Card for this game. Where should we draw?"

Solange was back to being herself again. Smiling sideways, she motioned to the piano hall.

-x-

* * *

-x-

"SEWER." Fujin shook her head, pulling Raijin up the stairs. "NO."

"There's no place for me in here, ya know." Raijin was standing in the centre of the arch gate control room. Fujin was half squatting, while Quistis and Nida were sitting down against the wall, trying to conserve space.

Earlier, Nida opened the hatch on the floor and showed a stair leading down to the sewers, claiming that it would lead to Caraway's mansion if they took the right path. Until tomorrow, they would have to hide in the room or in the sewer to make sure nobody they knew see them. The general had given the usual gate staff two days leave and Nida was the official substitute.

"Fujin's right," said Quistis. "The place is crawling with creepers."

"And the whole sewer stinks." Nida flailed his hand. "It's an emergency route. I'm not gonna let anyone of us sleep there. Come on, close the hatch already."

"So how am I gonna sleep, ya know?"

"Just drop down and lay your head." Nida was already bundling himself in his sleeping bag. "Sorry, no hotel room tonight. Can't sleep in the mansion's either, the daughter is there. She knows Trepe and me. Can't risk anything."

"Night, guys." Quistis zipped up her orange sleeping bag and cocooned herself.

Ignoring her brother, Fujin made her way into her silver sleeping bag. Raijin circled his standing area for a few times, looked outside to the lights on the gate, shrugged and plopped his whole body horizontal to the floor, onto everyone.

"AAGH!"

"What the-"

"My Hyne!"

-x-

* * *

-x-

"Morning, Seify."

With a broken grunt, Seifer opened one of his eyes. Selphie was standing beside his bed, flailing a magazine. He felt Irvine's warm back on his and wondered how come she woke him the first time in the morning instead of someone else with the same natural farce, like Zell.

"Whazz…"

"Found this. A copy of antique Timber Maniac under my pillow! How cool is this? You know Sir Laguna wrote articles for this magazine? He's so well-read. Like this one, in page fifty-one, where…"

Deciding it was safe to pass out, Seifer closed his eyes again. Behind him, Irvine shifted, probably to cover his ears ever-so-subtly. Not even a queen size bed was enough for both men over six feet tall with long limbs. It was better than sharing it with Squall. Seifer would need at least ten layers of blankets, and he'd still be frost bitten waking up.

"Squall, up!" Zell's loud voice was heard from the bathroom. A curious sounds of electric something. Couldn't be shaver, he had no body hair. Toothbrush it was. "Come on, we gotta check out the place for tonight's plan! Up, lazy!"

_Holy Hyne, they're both up. _

"What time is this? It can't be six." Seifer tried to reach the alarm clock nailed onto the side desk.

"It's four. Only two more hours before we're all usually up anyway," said Selphie. "So listen, Sir Laguna wrote this: _One time when I was adventuring, I found…_"

Seifer blanked out after that. He heard shuffling of blanket from the queen sized bed beside him, so he figured Squall had built an awesome blanket fort around himself and summoned Siren to ward off noise.

"Squall, up, come on." Zell's voice was heard nearby. "Don't you want to know who Flo is? The one Solange gave Irvine's Card to? We can ask around. She probably lives around here."

Seifer didn't need to open his eyes to know Prince Pouty had abandoned his makeshift castle and run to the bathroom. Behind him, Irvine snorted.

"I don't even care that much," Irvine said.

"You guys want to come with us, shopping for the mission?" Selphie asked.

At night, it was possible for Seifer to walk around the city. But in the morning, where everyone could take a good look at his face?

Seifer gave a rejection grunt, or at least he hoped it sounded like a rejection. Irvine shifted and waved goodbye.

"Lazybones," Zell said. "Come Selph, let's go down first. Squall, we're gonna wait in the lobby!"

"Trains! Trains!"

After a few minutes of blissful silence, Squall's light footsteps sounded around the room. Then the door was opened one more time, closed and locked.

"You want me to move to Chicken or Filly's bed?" Seifer muttered. He was actually not in a hurry to move anywhere. The hotel was freezing. Then Squall opened the window at one AM. How he felt warm, Seifer had no idea. For a three queen sized beds in a big room, two hundred Gil was indeed cheap. The pamphlet on the receptionist desk forgot to mention that there was _no heater_. If Seifer had to share his bed with quake-machine Zell, he probably would feel as hot and stuffy.

"Nah, better like this," said Irvine. "So, Seifer."

"Wha?"

"You used GF before, didn't ya?"

"What's it to you?"

"Did you?"

"Once, for a few days. I was around thirteen." Seifer huffed. "Big mistake. The GF was screaming in my head. Headache, threw it away."

Irvine hummed.

"Why?"

"Nothin', you just seem to dislike GF based on experience."

"Never been interested in it. Besides, I can cast magic without one, so I never need one."

"…Wait, what?" Irvine shifted and pulled himself up, staring at Seifer's back.

"You heard it right. Me and Quistis. We both can cast magic without GF."

"I know about Tre—Quistis. But you too?"

Seifer frowned. He turned to his back, looking at Irvine. "What do you mean, you know about her?"

Irvine sighed. "Well… Quistis graduated from Galbadia Garden, right? We're friends."

Seifer gave him a look.

"Really, we're good friends. Knew each other a lon' time before."

"Just that?"

"Just that."

"So you went to class with her? Why didn't you become a SeeD?"

Irvine shrugged.

"Why?"

"I don't like GF." Irvine turned his back on Seifer and put his head down on the pillow once more. "SeeD cadet hav'ta take a GF for an entrance test."

"Like me."

"Like you. I freaked out. I don't want no monster inside my head."

"Don't I know that feeling," Seifer said.

Irvine said nothing else. Seifer turned back to his pillow and closed his eyes, trying to get whatever left of the two hours before their biological rhythms kicked them awake.

-x—

* * *

-x—

"It's time to form the teams." General Caraway stood up from his desk. The team rounded around him. "The sniper and the leader of this operation will form the sniper team. The leader's role is vital. If the plan fails for some reason... or should the sniper miss, the leader must carry out a direct assault against the sorceress."

Hearing sharp intake of breaths around the room, the General continued, "Our ultimate goal is to eliminate the sorceress, and we must achieve this at all cost, even if they uncover our identities. So, who's going to lead the operation?"

Everyone looked at Squall.

_As if anyone else wants to do this._ "I will."

"Fine. I'll leave the rest up to you."

Squall turned to his teammates. "Irvine and I will make up the sniper team. Zell will man the gateway."

"Me alone?" Zell said. "Seifer and Selphie?"

"In the crowd, Seifer would be too familiar. He was a cover for us coming to Deling City." Squall waited a bit before saying, "And Selphie will go with him."

"The hell!"

Selphie's eyes widened. "I will?"

Seifer looked down.

"Seifer," Squall said.

"Fine." Seifer didn't look at Selphie. "Remember what happened at Timber?"

Selphie straightened her back.

"No way!" Zell shouted. "Squall! You're going to put Selphie to jail too?"

"The bonding?" Selphie asked.

"You damn idiot!" Zell shoved Seifer, who for once didn't fight back. "You're too recognizable for that damn president assassination! You caused all this!"

"Zell!" Squall pulled the enraged blonde's arm.

"Which is better, she leaves with me or dies from ancient magic when the bond is parted?" Seifer said.

Zell stilled. "You don't even know if that would happen!"

"Do you want to risk it?" Seifer looked straight into Zell's eyes. "I didn't ask for the bond to happen. It did. I didn't cause it. So you'd rather she die?"

Zell gritted his teeth.

"Zell," Squall said. "It's not your decision."

"No, it's not!" Zell shoved Squall, who took a few steps backwards to balance himself. "You and your mighty command! Are you happy now?"

"I am," Squall said through his clenched teeth. "I set them together as our cover. I am the one deciding. Are you clear with that, Dincht?"

"I'm fine with this, Captain," Selphie said. "It's not like I'm going to jail alone. And it's all going to go well, so none of us will end up going to prison for real." She stared at Zell, determination in her eyes. "Right?"

Zell swallowed. Squall shrugged. Seifer said nothing.

"…Wow," Irvine said. "So you two are bonding… for what, actually? I think there's a lot I need to learn about this team."

Squall waved him away. "I'll explain later."

General Caraway, who watched all this with a passive expression from the beginning, headed to the door. "If you are finished, we shall begin."

-x—

* * *

-x—

With the last kick, she managed to open the door. Rinoa rushed inside. The study room was empty.

"I'm too late!" she said. Behind her, Angelo ran in and waited on her heel.

"I'm too late, Angelo," Rinoa said patting the head of her loyal dog, who went home by herself all the way from Timber last night. "They left already."

She pulled out a bracelet from her pocket, and shined it under the light. "If this thing really works, it should be able to suppress the sorceress power. I should've given it to them."

Angelo sniffed the bracelet.

Rinoa looked out from the window of the study room. The gateway was lighting up. "It's not like I don't have a plan…"

Looking at the bracelet and then to the gateway far from the mansion, Rinoa beamed. She patted Angelo's head. "Wait here, okay? I don't want you getting lost again."

Rinoa turned on her heels and left the room.

-x—

* * *

-x—

"The driver is going to bring you to the Barracks, where you'll be detained for the night." The general closed the truck door. Seifer and Selphie looked out to the parade for the sorceress coming close to the mansion. "If all work as intended, we shall see. If not…then the both of you will be transferred in immediate notice to Desert Prison."

Zell couldn't help but grimaced when Selphie gave a slight wave with her handcuffed hands. "Be safe. Please."

"I will. See you later, Zelly, Squally, Irvine!"

Seifer only smirked to the rest of the team outside their vehicle.

The three teens and the general watched as the gate of the mansion opened and the truck rolled out. It turned into another road to the guards' Barracks, away from the parade closing in.

Squall was the first to break the silence. "I'll make the first charge when we make the full-on attack. I'll try to buy some time."

"That won't be necessary..." Irvine said. "I'll get the job done."

"I'll go first," said Zell. "Gotta find a way to break through those crowds to get there."

Zell disappeared into the crowds. Squall and Irvine headed out into the street, where soldiers were blocking the streets. The parade had amassed a massive number of people, all excited for the sorceress and the speech she would give later.

Irvine looked away. "Is it true that SeeDs aren't supposed to question their mission?"

"What do you care?"

"So like... if you knew that your enemies were pure evil, you'd get more fired up to fight them, right?"

_Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. There's no good or bad side, just two sides holding different views._ Squall looked up and realized they were closing into the gate.

Caraway motioned to a small curb where the team would wait into position.

"General, why has the sorceress decided to have such an extravagant parade?" Squall said as they crouched.

"She wants to establish her place in Galbadia Garden, since she has chosen it to serve as her base."

_So that's why Galbadia Garden wants her out..._

General Caraway pretended he was talking to the stone. "It's starting. I'm returning to my residence. Good luck."

Inside the gate control room, Zell was smoothing his messed up half-dead spiky hair and removing any kind of glitter on his clothes. Hearing the crowds, he leaned to look at the view outside. He saw the parade dancing their way to the Presidential Residence.

"So that's where the sorceress at…" Zell murmured.

-x—

* * *

-x—

"Trey?"

Quistis answered immediately, "In position." Sitting in the curve of the ceiling, she only needed to lean her body a bit and she was able to see anything, including a blonde who was pushing dancers left and right to escape the crowds before running into the gate control room. Her team had cleared out of the room five hours ago, setting into position faster than any of the main team.

"Fuu?"

"READY." Fujin should be inside their escape truck now, near the mansion, ready to break into the crowds and let them out no matter what happened.

"Rai?"

"Mmm, ya know." Raijin was standing by as a soldier on the edge of the parade, walking as slow as the dancer twirling all their ways to the Presidential Residence, to take the sorceress out into the city. If anything happened, his cover should allow him to move freely and help everyone.

"I'm going to find a way to break into the crowds, and at least be in the near center of that parade," Nida said. "I'm not going to be too close lest the sorceress figures out a magic user in the crowds, but at least good enough I can do something if it goes wrong."

"Where are you, ya know?" Raijin looked around the parade.

"Guess."

"Don't even bother," said Quistis. "If he doesn't want to be recognized, he won't."

Nida chuckled. "Anyway, Raijin, the people are closing into the Presidential Residence. You should stop near the gate, so the president's guards won't see you. I'll be checking in later."

The big burly soldier walked slightly to the edge of the street, and let everyone else danced passing him. Quistis saw Raijin pulled his hat down a little. She turned to the far end of the gate, to the little curb, where two shadowy figures crouched and conversed with one another.

She saw Kinneas' eyes darted towards her location when Squall was looking at the crowds. Then she realized Irvine was mouthing something to her.

_I can't do this._

-x—

-x—

-x—

* * *

**_To be continued…_**


	21. Dance! Dance, Puppet!

Warning: Blood, blood, blood.

-x-

* * *

**Chapter XXII**

**Dance! Dance, Puppet!**

* * *

-x-

-x-

"Mr. President."

Ceasing his conversation with the woman in black, the man standing in the centre of the dark veiled room turned around. A soldier stepped closer from his entry from the wide arch door.

"Mr. President. New report, Sir." The soldier saluted. "Seifer Almasy had been detained along with his accomplice from Balamb Garden. General Caraway placed him and his accomplice in the barracks for interrogation. They'll be taken to D-Prison tomorrow at the earliest convenience."

The president smirked. He turned back to the woman in black. "So the Garden gave up its kids after all."

The woman in black, adorned with massive golden arch decorating her back and jewels glimmering on her forehead and temple, raised her chin. "SeeD."

"Whatever they're called." The president waved his hand. "Kids are still kids. They can't expect mild punishment after what they did to me."

The woman looked disinterested with the news. She moved, slithering against smooth tiles, to the massive vanity desk. Lengthy veils from the golden arch decoration on her back glided, following gentle breeze from the open door balcony. Sitting on the silk-covered stool and staring at her own reflection, she said, "Do what you want. Seifer Almasy is not important anymore." She stared at the president from the mirror. "Where are the others?"

"Others?" The president looked to the soldier. "Where are all other SeeDs? You only managed to get two people? There's more."

"Sir. We captured Seifer Almasy and a girl he planned this assassination attempt with; a small girl, brunette. No one else."

"They escaped," said the woman in black. "I want them."

"Find them!" said the president. "And those kids in the barracks…"

"Seifer Almasy and Selphie Tilmitt, Sir."

"Make sure they never got into D-prison." The president drew a crooked smile, showing cigar-stained canine. "It's way too hard for kids to live there. In fact, make sure they never get interrogated. They are never in the barracks." He grinned to the woman in black. "See how kind I am with the kids, Edea?"

The woman fixed her makeup, ignoring the president.

The soldier blinked. "So the kids…"

"You know what I mean." The president raised his shoulder, straightening his turtle spinal. "I don't want to hear about them anymore. Their Garden sent them here; they can pick up the bodies tomorrow."

"Sir." The soldier saluted and turned around, leaving the dark room. A small, lanky man waited near the arch door and peeked inside.

"What is it?" the president said.

"Mr. President," said the man, refusing to walk in. "The speech for tonight's parade is ready, Sir. We need to get ready now."

"Ahh." The president fixed his suit lapels and grinned. "Excuse me for now, Edea." Without waiting for any reply, he walked out, his aide on his tail.

Edea glimpsed at the open door to the balcony, where the transparent curtains fluttered against the gentle wind into the room. "Report."

A young man in his late teen appeared from behind the entrance. A long staff secured against his back and black overcoat draped his form. "Nothing much happened in the city."

"SeeDs?"

The young man shrugged. "Apart from those kids that soldier mentioned, I saw nobody else, My Lady. I did see that woman again, who deals with Card distribution. She's always around. Something weird always happened around her."

"If Seifer is here, others are around." Edea flicked to the balcony with one of her long nails. "Go. Find me the SeeDs. I do not need Seifer Almasy. Bring me one who is not bonded."

"It must be SeeD? You have me, My Lady. I fail to see the need for another knight."

The woman lifted her chin. "You are not SeeD. You are not aware of their wicked plan."

"You certainly made sure I wasn't made SeeD." Wincing, the young man peeped to his sorceress. "Not that I'm complaining. I'm off, then." He pushed his body off the railing and jumped down, leaving the palace.

The sorceress closed her eyes. She needed to meditate. These few days she had been in the crowd. No time to regain her strength. She needed her power for tonight's parade, to show them what she was capable of.

The world would be hers.

The sorceress heard an unsure trail of steps. Someone was close. Someone was planning something.

"Umm... Excuse me..." a girl's voice sounded from behind her. "I'm... the daughter of, um... Galbadian Army's, um... General Caraway. I... thought I'd... come pay my respects... You know... 'cause of my father and all... So, I... um... brought you a small gift. Please..."

The girl dared to step closer. Edea raised her hand. The gust slammed against the black-haired girl pinning her to the wall. The girl's eyes widened. She tried to release herself. The bangle she held tightly in her hand shook.

"Ugh."

Edea lowered her hand. The girl fell to the ground, unconscious.

The general's daughter? Fascinating. So the army wasn't as compliant as they seemed.

Soon, that would change.

-x-

-x-

"Here she comes." Irvine pointed to the balcony of the president's room. Squall looked up.

The Sorceress walked to the microphone, near the waiting president. Behind her, a girl swayed and followed. Her eyes closed. Her body trembled.

"H... Hey... That girl...!"

"Rinoa...?"

Edea looked at the crowd down on the street. She came closer to the microphone. Then she spoke.

"...Lowlifes. ...Shameless filthy wretches." They were waiting for her. "How you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one you have condemned for generations. Have you no shame?" They wanted to be enlightened by the sorceress. "What happened to the evil, ruthless sorceress from your fantasies? The cold-blooded tyrant that slaughtered countless men and destroyed many nations? Where is she now?" By her every word. "She stands before your very eyes to become your new ruler."

Looking up to the sky, the sorceress was everyone's ruler. Nothing else stood above her. She cackled long and hearty.

President Deling blinked.

"A new era has just begun."

President Deling raised his hand, touching Edea's shoulder. "E-Edea... Are you alright...? Ede...!"

The sorceress stretched her hand to Vinzer's neck. The president gasped, his body lifted into the air. A swirl of hazy coloured gases flowed around him.

"This," said the sorceress, "is reality. No one can help you. Sit back and enjoy the show."

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd. The sorceress tossed Vinzer's body. She moved back to the microphone.

"Rest assured, you fools. Your time will come. This is only the beginning. Let us start a new reign of terror." She raised her hand, as the hails get louder and louder, her voice drowned in the chaos of mass hysteria. "I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination."

The sorceress walked down from the podium. She passed by the president's lifeless body.

"She's mad," said Irvine, pulling his hat down. The crowd's cheers and yells were getting louder when the sorceress appeared in the palace yard. She strolled to the top of the parade float. "We have to do this. It's… it's insane."

Edea raised her hand, waiting until the cheers died down. "Let us end this ceremony with a sacrifice."

A bright coloured sphere appeared in her outstretched palm. The ball flew to the arch of the podium where she stood earlier. Rinoa was still standing there.

The orb crashed against the decoration on the arch, bathing the two lizard statues in flickering waves of magic. The statues' eyes flickered.

The lizard statues stretched their necks, their long stone bodies, and their tails. With an ease of the last long stretches, they skipped down to the balcony and pounced on Rinoa, giving the crowds below a view of their tails swaying in the air. There was a long scream from the podium.

The mass cheered even louder.

Irvine nudged Squall. "Hey, hey, hey, she's in trouble big-time! We've gotta go help Rinoa."

Squall looked up to the giant clock on the palace wall. "The parade hasn't started yet. The gate's not open."

"You've gotta be kidding!"

-x-

-x-

Their new room was small, but it was still indoors. Steel metal everywhere she looked. Metal floor, bars as wall, ceiling bars… they had to spend a night in a cubic steel.

Her hands free of handcuffs, Selphie leaned against the wall and placed her face between the spaces of their steel bars, listening to the guards chatting with each other. They were sitting on a table with two chairs near the door, beside the thick hazy window. A glass of beer placed on the table, thick opened book and the guards' hats beside it. On the other side of the barrack, a tall cupboard stood alone. Inside, the watchers had placed their weapons.

Four new guards walked into the barracks. One of them glanced to their cell.

Behind her, Seifer was lying down on a long yellowish mat, the only thing on their cell made of slightly used cotton and creaky spring. He tried using the tall end part of his overcoat as a head pillow, raising it up and lying on it. He never stopped scratching any part of his exposed skin that touched the mat.

"I'm sure there are ticks in here. And things I don't even want to think about," he said. "What is this white stuff? Wa… eigh!"

Selphie listened closer. The new guards talked to their watchers. Two of them motioned to their cell with their thumbs. The watchers nodded to each other. One of their watchers pulled the key to their cell from his pocket and gave it to the new guard.

The watchers talked to the guards for a while longer, then took their hats and left the barracks. The new guards turned to each other. One of them headed to the slightly ajar front door, pushed it close and locked it.

Selphie pulled her face back from the bars. Two of the guards headed to their cell.

"Seify." Selphie walked backwards. "Something happens."

Seifer raised his head from the mat. Two guards stood in front of their cell. Two others waited near the front door.

One of the guards looked at Selphie and said to his friend, "She's just a kid."

"Job's a job," said the other. He pulled a shotgun from his hip holster and raised it, levelling Selphie's face. "Let's get this over with."

The other guards pulled out a revolver and pointed at Seifer. "Don't move. This'll be over soon."

Selphie blinked when the lips of the shotgun settled between the bars. She mumbled.

A red, hot flare soared from her body, tumbling Selphie backwards. The fiery monster shoved the guards holding the shotgun away. The guard's body covered in flame as Ifrit hauled the screaming man and swung him towards the bare wall. As soon as the burnt guard fell, the monster vanished.

"Firaga!" Seifer threw a red sphere to the revolver. The guard released the weapon exploding halfway to the ground. In a blink of an eye, Seifer was behind the bars. He reached out, jerked the hand of the guard and slammed his face onto the bars. He gripped the guard's face with both hands and twisted backwards, breaking the neck.

Two guards waiting at the front door pulled out their weapons. Selphie pulled the corpse hanging on the bar, crouched and shielded from rows of stray bullets. Seifer jumped to the back of their cubic cell and kicked the mat up, then pushed the vertical mat onto the cell door. Selphie released the corpse and slipped between the mat and the wall. Together, they slammed the mat onto the door, creating a barrier between them and flying bullets.

"How can they do that? What are they?" yelled one of the guards.

"Kill them! Now!"

Crouching behind the mat, Seifer sighed and scratched his exposed hand. "These damn ticks."

Selphie narrowed her eyes and considered the bumps on Seifer's skin. "That's not ticks."

Seifer looked at his skin and his face crumpled. "Ugh!"

Selphie listened to the sound of shells. As soon as the weapons offered their dejected clicks, she squatted down and reached from under the mat. She grasped the shotgun and pulled it back. Studying it, Selphie held the shotgun between her hands and nodded to Seifer.

"One," Seifer said. "Two, three!"

Seifer pulled the mat down. Selphie pushed the shotgun between the bars and pulled the trigger. One shot exploded on the wall near the guards whose ammos ran out. The guards stooped low. The same shot shoved the shooter backwards tumbling from the force. Seifer took the shotgun from the lying Selphie and positioned it between the bars.

"Aim! Aim!" said Selphie.

"Shut it!" Seifer pulled the trigger and his shoulder jostled backwards from the force. The shot hit the beer glass, breaking the thick crystal into pieces. The guard crouching near the table screamed. Some of the sharper fragments impaled his face. He fell down, holding his face.

"I got him!" said Seifer. Selphie raised her brow.

The other guard took out a long dagger from his boots, charged onto the cell and thrust the sharp blade to Seifer's face. Seifer bolted backwards. His face was a few millimetres from the sharp point. Selphie kicked the hand of the guard. The hand lifted up, momentarily lost its power. Seifer reached to the guard's wrist and grabbed it. He shoved the hand to the side, slamming it against the bar. The guard groaned. His dagger fell next to Selphie. The girl took the dagger and lunged into the guard's stomach. She pulled the dagger to the side. The guard strained to say something. Blood was the only thing coming out of his lips.

Holding the dagger with one hand, Selphie reached out and took the key from the guard's pocket. She pulled the dagger from the guard's lifeless body, unlocked the door and kicked the bars open. The last guard was crouching down, trying to remove shards of glass from his face. Seifer rushed to his side, grabbing the back of his collar and slammed the guard's skull into the ground. Holding the pulse area on the guard's neck, Seifer waited until the last beat died down.

Selphie headed to the tall cupboard and pulled out her Nunchaku and Seifer's gunblade. Seifer took the gunblade and checked on his weapon's condition.

"What should we do now?" Selphie strapped her Nunchaku onto her hip holster. "Should we get back to the General?"

"Go ahead and get yourself killed." Seifer had to accept the gunblade's condition for now. He took his back holster and put it on his grey overcoat. "I'm out of here."

"To where?" Selphie unlocked the front door. "We just killed the Deling City's guards. We're really criminals now. Planning to kill the president was different than actually killing four guards while we're in the cell…"

Seifer strapped the gunblade to his back, feeling the familiar weight. Now he's happy. "Out of here. We need to get out of this city, away from this mess."

"We should get back to headmaster Martine. The Garden will help us."

"He won't even open the front gate for us. We aren't supposed to know each other." While collecting his piece of white cloak, Seifer could only think of one place to go. "Cid. We're going back to Cid."

"Dollet train," said Selphie. She followed Seifer out of the barracks. "If we're hurry, we can catch the train from the station nearby. We'll stop at Dollet and back to Balamb on boat."

"No SeeD cabin," said Seifer. He looked around. The streets were empty. "Everyone must be near the palace."

"We can hitchhike." Selphie closed the barrack door. She thought about it and then locked the door. "Let's go. We need to hurry!"

Selphie took Seifer's hand and pulled him towards the elevator area just ahead from the barrack. The man followed while glancing around. It was weird that no one was around, even though the crowd was supposed to be on the palace ground.

Behind the parked truck across the barrack, Nida released his grip on the soldier's mouth. He pocketed his handkerchief and let the drugged soldier fall to the ground. Looking to his side, to the pile of body he had drugged and dragged, Nida shook his head. He made a silent monologue of wiping his imaginary sweat and swooned.

-x-

-x-

Inside the gate control room, Zell shook his head when the lizards' tails slowly flicked back and forth, the only view anyone could see from below the balcony.

"NO WAY!"

The palace gates flung open. The music started. Rows of dancers led the front line, showing their respect and misguided love to their new leader. Behind the dancers, the costume parades and the giant number of walking orchestra, Edea sat on the flowing carousel on her wide, beautiful throne chair on a float. Beside her, a pale looking man was standing. The long staff he had on his back now ready in his grip.

"Now's our chance. Come on!" yelled Irvine.

Squall jumped from his hiding position and ran against the flow of the parade. Entering the gate, they crouched while passing the float. Above the float, the sorceress was watching the fireworks and neon displays all around her. There was a slight smile on her face.

Behind the palace, stacks of boxes and truck parked near the wall. Irvine led the way, jumping against the boxes and pulling himself up to the roof. He ran and jumped onto the balcony a few feet below the roof, crashing against one of the lizards. The lizard shrieked and thrashed his body. Irvine kicked the scaled body with the steel heel of his boots, and slipped away when the lizard thrashed his tail. The tail swooped over the floor, knocking his legs. Irvine fell down to the floor with a grunt, landing on his rifle.

On the floor, below the body of another lizard, Rinoa stared at him with widened eyes, and tried to scream. The lizard's face pushed against her, and she swallowed her scream. Her legs flailed in the air, her hands pushed the lizard's neck, an effort to knock the lizard away from her.

Squall jumped down on the lone lizard's head, his knees dug into the lizard's skull. The lizard swirled and slammed his thick neck against the intrusive body on top of it. Squall's hand gripped the thick plate of the skull and with another hand he punched down against the nose of the lizard. A long, inhuman scream pierced the air.

The lizard swung its thick tail against Squall's back. The gunblader winced. He heard a crack somewhere inside his body. He formed his hand into a fist and swung against the right eye of the lizard. The forceful shook and a strong slam against his back were worthwhile.

"Squall, away!" He heard Irvine scream. Pushing his body off the lizard, Squall rolled sideways. A sharp force pierced the left eye of the lizard. Its membrane erupted and exploded against the gunblader face. The lizard stretched and collided onto the floor, moving no more.

"Help!" screamed Rinoa.

Wiping the gunk of a thick membrane from his eyes, Squall watched as Irvine cocked his rifle. The sniper turned to his left, getting into position above the lizard attacking Rinoa.

Frowning, Squall raised his hand and shouted "Draw!" At the same time Irvine's rifle released its ammo into the skull of the lizard. A flash of green tiny anima flew from the lizard into Squall before it pierced its last scream and fell down, lifeless on top of Rinoa.

**_O_**_h, what's**…**_ a tiny voice whispered inside Squall's head. **_W_**_here am I**?**_

**-Good job, Squall.-** Shiva sounded happy. **-Hello, Carbuncle.-**

**_S_**_hiva**?**_ The meek voice said. **_H_**_i! Where am I? Aren't you working for the king in Dollet? Why am I here with you? Is this the Dollet King? Hello, King**!**_

**-Now, where to start…-**

Squall closed his eyes, dizzy. Irvine helped Rinoa up. The girl shivered and hugged herself.

Rinoa looked to Squall. "I was scared..." She moved to his side and clung to his arm. "...Really scared."

Squall opened his eyes and pulled his arm away from her. "It's over now."

"I was scared..." Rinoa looked down. "I was really, really scared."

"You're used to battles, aren't you?"

"I couldn't...I just couldn't. I couldn't fight alone..."

_...You're not ready for all this._ Squall glanced down. Below the balcony, the yard of the palace was empty. "Better get going."

Rinoa clung to his arm again after he swung it away.

"I haven't forgotten your order," said Squall. "But right now the safest place isn't near me. Go home."

"I can't. They know who I am." Rinoa tightened her grip on Squall's arm. "Let me come with you. I can't be home right now."

"Hey, Squall?" Irvine said. He was already inside the hall. "Come here. Let's do this. Then we'll take her home."

**_T_**_wenty years**!**_ Carbuncle said. **_I_**_ am old now**!**_

Squall followed Irvine into the ceiling hatch he opened, up the ladder. On the highest rooftop, a carousel moved on a clockwork rotation. Its bright light shined over the top of the palace, highlighting dark places unseen from the ground. Irvine picked up a sniper rifle left on the floor and moved into the carousel, sitting down against the wall.

_Huh...?_ With Rinoa sitting next to him, Squall watched Irvine. _Why'd he get all quiet? Oh, he must be concentrating. Loneliness of the sharpshooter... I guess he has a point. _

Rinoa sighed. "You're both...prepared, right? That's the kind of world you live in. You've had a lot of emotional training."

"It's all up to Irvine." Squall stood up and walked to the sniper. Irvine hunched over, shaking a little. _Huh?_ "Don't tell me you're getting the jitters..."

Irvine looked up and blinked several times. His grip on the rifle was white. "I...I can't do it."

Squall facepalmed.

Beside the gateway, inside the control room, Zell waited. His hand resting on the gateway lever, his eyes focused on the clock. The parade was close.

The short clock hand stopped at eight. On the rooftop, the carousel rose, the wall panel opened. Irvine and Squall ducked low as their spot soared up to the night sky, high and ready.

The sorceress' float passed underneath the gateway.

Zell pulled the lever.

The gate slammed down, banging against the ground. The sorceress rose from her throne, watching the steel gate closed in front of her. She turned back and saw the back gate slammed down. Throngs of people lining up in the parade screamed as the gate blocked their path, squaring the float inside the gate.

Inside the carousel, Squall shook Irvine's shoulder. "Irvine Kinneas!"

Irvine shook his head. "I...I can't...I'm sorry, I can't do it. I always choke like this..."

"Forget it. Just shoot."

"My bullet... The sorceress... I'll go down in history. I'd change the history of Galbadia... Of the world! It's all too much..."

"Enough! Just shoot!"

"I can't, dammit!"

Above the float, meters high, secured inside the curved ceiling, Quistis curled on her heels. Resting her chin on her crossed hands, she glanced to the carousel rotating high in the palace.

_Is he going to do it?_ Quistis glanced into the control room window. Zell was crouching down out of view from the gateway ground, hands covering his head. A big soldier was among the lines of panicked soldiers trying to lift the gate. The soldier looked up to Quistis.

_What's he doin'?_ mouthed the soldier. He pushed on the gate and pulled without any force, making a scene while keeping his eyes on the float.

Taking a silent breath, Quistis kept her crossed hands on the dagger she held, looking down to the float.

Beside the carousel, low to the ground, Rinoa bit her lips and peeked down to the gateway. Everyone around the gateway was trying to get inside. They knocked on the gates, screamed and pulled on the steels.

"Irvine, calm down," said Squall. "Everyone's waiting on you. I don't care if you miss. Whatever happens, just leave the rest to us. Just think of it as a signal. A sign for us to make our move."

Irvine closed his eyes. "Just a signal..."

_That's it._ "Please."

Irvine opened his eyes and moved. He knelt down, holding the sniper rifle and positioned it at the gateway. "...Just a sign."

Squall watched the sniper rifle fired. The ammo was shot.

The Sorceress whirled, as if waiting the attack. She raised her arm. Barrier formed around the float. The ammo bounced off the obstacle and fell down on the asphalt ground.

Irvine sat down after shooting. He put his head on his arms. "...I'm sorry."

"It's ok. Your aim was perfect. Just leave the rest up to me." Looking back to Rinoa who was getting ready, Squall patted Irvine's arm. "I'm going in for the sorceress. Irvine, just be ready to back me up. Take care of Rinoa."

_He was late!_ Quistis took a sharp breath when the ammo fell down to the ground. The sorceress lowered down the barrier. Quistis closed her eyes and counted down.

From the rooftop, Squall jumped onto the podium. He kicked the balcony railing and landed far in the palace yard, rolling forward. He stopped on his heels beside an unattended car. Rushing inside the car and turning it on, Squall steered the wheel and raced onto the gateway.

The sorceress stood and waited. She watched a jeep slammed against the gateway, almost crushing everyone who was scurrying around to escape. A man jumped from the car window, rolling into the steel gate. He stopped in front of the float.

Squall looked up, to the sorceress and a pale man standing beside her. The young man smirked at him.

"Long time no see," said the young man. He hopped down the float.

Squall realized where he'd seen the man before. "You're the cadet that went with Selphie's team."

The young man wiped the sweat from his hand and held the staff tighter. "Name's Emil."

"She thought you're dead."

"I was." Emil raised his staff. "Now I'm alive." A ball of flame formed on the top of his staff. Running to Squall, Emil swung his staff to the gunblader.

Scooting to his right, Squall raised his leg and kicked the staff away. Emil swayed from the force. The staff wielder crouched and swoop his leg on the floor. Squall fell down, rolling backwards when the staff slammed on his previous position. The ball of flame flew to Squall's face when Emil swung the staff in his direction. Squall ducked and waved the ball of flames burning his hair. He shook his head in panic. Emil jabbed the staff onto Squall's thigh, and the wincing gunblader moved back.

Squall patted off the last of flames from his hair. "From a SeeD to a sorceress' guard. Why did you do this?"

"I prefer to be called her knight. And why not? Certainly much better than being a cadet for a losing team."

Squall ducked low and ran to Emil. The staff-wielder was unprepared; he tried to block the head attack with his staff. Ready with his hands outreached, the gunblader grabbed the staff and with the force of his shoulder, rammed the staff into Emil's face. Smacked against his own weapon, Emil swayed back and lost his grip. Pulling the staff from Emil's grip, Squall wheeled and planted the staff on the ground, raising his foot. The heel connected to Emil's nose. The thin man knocked against the float and fell down on his knees, blinking away. Squall released the staff and with one hand, unsheathed his gunblade. Emil rolled to the side, missing the downward slice of Shear Trigger. Squall lifted his knee and crammed it onto Emil's temple. With the blunt edge of his Shear Trigger, he whacked the man's skull.

The back of Emil's head knocked the ground. He frowned, training his teary eyes to the gunblader on top of him.

"Not…bad." Emil's head fell back. Then he was quiet.

Squall glanced up, to the sorceress standing on top of the float. She was watching him. There was no approval in her eyes.

"...A SeeD. ...Planted in a run-down Garden."

"Lemme go!" yelled someone from outside the gate. Squall heard a loud shot. Everyone was shouting in panic. Over the noisy chaos, one man slipped into the gateway. From the window of the control room, one boy jumped into the square. The boy walked to him.

"Sorry I'm late!" said Zell readying his gloves next to him. "Let's go, Squall!"

Running to his side from the gate, Irvine sighed and cocked his gun. "I have to redeem myself."

Edea's eyes narrowed. "...The accursed SeeD."

Above them, Quistis rose from her curling position.

With her hand raised, Edea cast a massive ball of fire. The SeeDs all scattered about avoiding the erupted Firaga and quickly moved back to their preferred formation. Quistis looked to the giant soldier waiting over the gate. He was watching the fight with wide eyes. The soldier looked up to Quistis. Quistis nodded. The giant soldier started yelling like everyone around and slammed the steel gate. He pushed himself inside, little by little. It should be easy, if it was done by someone smaller.

Zell pushed Squall away and screamed as the blizzard ball smacked onto his face.

"Augh! Cold cold augh!" The sphere drowned his face. Zell was gasping, flittering about and then unable to breathe. Irvine pushed Zell down and with the blunt end of his rifle, cracked the giant globe wrapping Zell's head.

On his knees, Squall grimaced when he moved too late and Pain hit him. Ignoring the bone-crunching feeling on his shoulder, he raised his Shear Trigger and shot.

Away from the noisy gateway and hundreds of people wrapping themselves around it, a lone jeep parked in front of a closed shop. The driver was hiding under the wheel.

"This is getting worse," said Nida over the PCS.

"YOU THINK?"

"You can't drive there. You can't drive away."

"DUH."

"Raijin's already inside the gate. Oh, wait. He's between the gates. He's…"

"STUCK," Fujin guessed.

"…Wait, look outside."

Fujin raised her head and peeked outside the window. The street was silent and empty. The only people moving around the street were two fully-armed soldiers dragging a screaming girl behind them, to the direction of the barracks.

"RINOA!" Fujin rose and banged her shoulder against the wheel. Groaning and massaging the bone, she unlocked the jeep door and rushed toward the soldiers.

Rinoa screamed, thrashed her captured arms and lifted her legs high trying to kick the soldiers in the head. She looked back when someone was screaming out curses at them. The soldiers stopped and turned around to see Fujin charging at them.

"Fujin?" Rinoa was dumped on the ground. Crawling away from the upcoming blows, she saw a familiar old car rode passing them. The aging car with black windows stopped when it reached the turning point of the street, and the door opened. A dog jumped out and ran towards her.

"Angelo!" Rinoa's melee dog rushed to her side. She held the dog close, her body shaking. She watched the car rode to the outside of the city.

"Run, Dad," she whispered. Angelo shook her off and charged at the soldiers attacking Fujin. The car disappeared from view. "Run!"

Inside the gateway, the sorceress was breathing hard. Hunching, she glared to the SeeDs in front of her. Squall on his knees, still pointing his Shear Trigger at her. Irvine lay down, bleeding wound on his head, rifle on his side and hat stuck between the gates. He was barely conscious. Zell was the only one still trying to stand, despite the tremor in his legs.

"Impudent SeeDs!"

"This isn't going anywhere," Zell wheezed out and knelt down. He wiped the blood out seeping out of his broken nose bashed from rain of magic rocks.

Squall looked up when a flash of bright metal triggered above him. A woman flew down from the ceiling, dagger in her palms leveled the sorceress's head.

The sorceress didn't have time to look up. The woman landed on top of the sorceress. Her dagger jammed down, impaling deep in the sorceress's left shoulder.

Zell watched when Reflect cast earlier by Edea hit Quistis. The instructor hurled onto the wall of the gate, smashing her head against the steel. She landed on the ground with a sickening thud.

"Instructor!" Zell looked at Quistis's unmoving form and to the ceiling up above. "What the…"

Squall opened his mouth, speechless. He lowered down his Shear Trigger, eyes staring at black-suited form of Quistis. Irvine raised his head, seeing what the ruckus was all about, and groaned.

"Damn it," he coughed. "Damn it all."

"I don't… I don't get it… agh!" Zell flailed away when seven pairs of gloved hands pulled him back. He looked back and tried to scuffle the Deling soldiers dragging him away from the float.

"No no no, no…" Irvine lashed against the soldiers' hands that were dragging his arms to the outside of the gates. Several more soldiers reached towards him, one grabbing his hair and hauling. "Aaah! Ah!"

"No! No!" Zell elbowed the soldiers, kicked others, and more headed towards him. "Squall! Watch out!"

Pushing himself away from the soldiers, Squall turned to the float, and the only thing he saw was a block of ice piercing the body moving to the front of him. Fragment of ice not lancing on her exploded, triggering shower of frost and pain. Quistis scrunched her brows, dropped her head and fell. Seeing Blizzaga lancing her back, Squall dropped his Shear Trigger and reached towards her. The hands stopped him, another grabbed her arms. The hands pulled her body away from him.

"No! No!" he screamed. "No! Quistis!" Legs and bodies of the soldiers covered his view, blocking him away from her. He pulled and yelled. He was pressed and hauled. The hands covered his eyes. Someone kicked his ribs. He heard Zell screaming and Irvine begging someone not to haul him on his hair. He heard Carbuncle crying. He felt a sharp pain in his head. Then he heard nothing else.

"I'll take him," said one soldier to the man pulling on Irvine. Irvine's hair was released. The sharpshooter looked up, wanted to thank whoever he was. The soldier heaved him up and placed him on his shoulder. Dizzy, Irvine saw the wide back of the soldier and drops of blood from his head pooling on the ground.

As the gate lifted and the crowd cheered on the sorceress, the soldier brought him away. Irvine tried to look at what happened to Zell and Squall, but he couldn't lift his head anymore.

"I got ya, I got ya." The soldier moved away from the crowd and made his way into a quiet street. "That's one hell of a fight, ya know?"

-x—

-x-

* * *

_To be continued…_

* * *

P.S.: Action! Action! No, stop! Cut! I said action!


	22. We're Going to WHERE?

**Chapter 22**

**We're All Going to WHERE?**

* * *

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

_Is this the place?_

It was a beautiful village, lush with greens and the smell of spring. He wouldn't be surprised if Laguna really lived here.

Kiros looked around past the gates of Winhill. It was nothing more than wide, wooden arch gates connected with wooden old fences enveloping the houses and dirt pathways. Some of the fences were already rotten, parts of them damp from rains and morning dews. On the right of the gates, he could see a wide area where Chocobos hung around, enclosed in another set of fences from sturdy and thick new woods. On the edge of the railings, inside the herding area, a girl was on the back of a rare white Chocobo. Wide brown hats on her head, thin leather sleeveless top, riding pants and boots on her body, the skin on her arms freckled from the sun. Her back was on him.

"Hey," Kiros called. She turned to him. She was a young woman, no more than twenty. "Is this Winhill?"

"Who's asking?" she asked, turning her white Chocobo to face him. Kiros was impressed to see that up close, the white, rare Chocobo was big and had a set of red flaming eyes and giant brown beak.

"I'm Kiros." He put his hand on the herding fence. "I'm looking for a friend of mine. Name's Laguna."

The girl glanced to the inner area of the village and pointed to a building in the centre of several houses. "That one. Ask Raine. She's in the pub."

"Thanks…"

The girl tilted her head, red pigtail hair swaying underneath the hat. "Solange. I'm working on this farm until fall."

"Nice to meet you." Kiros nodded and turned.

"You play Card?"

He looked back. "Yeah."

"Good. I'm taking my break in a while. See you in the pub." The girl turned her Chocobo to face her herd.

Kiros raised his brow. "Sure." He was a messy player, but there was no way he'd lose to a kid.

The pub was nothing but a small building with wooden door in the middle of three houses. The sign was old but clean, hanging above the door. A bell sounded on his entrance, ringing a gentle sound throughout what appeared to be an actual pub, with rows of drinks on the shelves behind the bar. The bartender was standing behind the long row of wooden bar, hands on a book, looking up when he walked in.

"Can I help you?" she asked, closing her book and placing it behind the bar. "We're not open yet."

"I'm looking for Laguna," said Kiros. He removed his military backpack and placed it on the floor next to the door. "Are you Raine?"

She looked curious. "I am. Who are you?"

"My name's Kiros. I'm Laguna's friend. We separated after…" Kiros frowned. "What's your relationship with Laguna, if I may ask?"

Raine bit her lips, a hint of colour on her cheeks. "I'm…"

"Uncle Laguna's fwiend is weiwd!" From the stairs leading to the upper floor, a girl chimed in. The toddler ran down the stairs and disappeared through the front door. "I'm calling uncle Laguna!"

"Elle!" Raine said. "Not again…" She turned to Kiros. "I found him on the beach. He was in a bad condition when I found him. Right now he lives in the house next door." She sighed and turned to the high shelves behind her. "Sit down, let me pour you something. It's on the house."

"Thanks." Kiros sat on the high stool and accepted the glass of whiskey.

"So how did you find this place?" Raine put the bottle on the bar.

"He sent me a letter, just saying everything's going well for him and he's out of the military." _That he's not coming back to Deling._

That freaked Kiros out. All this time, everything he knew was about being in the military. What else could he do now that he's pronounced unfit to be a soldier anymore? What could Laguna do? That guy was nothing but a soldier. What else would he do?

"So he was in the military…"

_Laguna didn't tell her much_. "We had an accident and separated. You found him afterwards. I'm here to see how he's doing." Probably he'd drag Laguna back if he could.

"I see…"

"I bwought him! I bwought uncle Laguna!" Elle ran in. Raine walked out from behind the bar. Kiros put down his glass and stood as Raine scolded the little girl.

A man walked in behind the little girl.

"You understand, Ellone? Now go to your room and play." Raine crossed her arms.

Ellone turned to her uncle and said in a mock-whisper, "I got in twouble."

"That's 'cause you broke your promise," whispered the man. "Too baaad..."

"Laguna! Use proper English when speaking to Ellone!"

"I got'n trouble." The man chuckled.

Ellone grinned. "Toooo baaaddd!"

Kiros walked closer to the man as he snickered along with the little girl. "It's been a while, Laguna."

"Kiros!" Laguna's face brightened. He kneeled down to Ellone. "He's Uncle Laguna's friend. He dresses funny, but he's not a bad guy."

Kiros smiled. "You seem well."

Laguna stood up and beamed. "Yeah... You, too. Hey, how long has it been? You know, since our grand escape from Centra?"

Kiros frowned, counting. "Well, I would say about a year or so."

Laguna shrugged. "I was bed-ridden for over six months. It seemed like every bone in my body was in pieces."

"I nursed him back to health," said Raine.

Kiros nodded to Raine. "Thank you, for taking care of Laguna. I was able to recover in about a month or so. Ever since then... I've been searching for you."

"Why?"

"After leaving the army... Well, just killing time I guess. Life's pretty boring without you as entertainment, my man."

"That's a harsh thing to say. I've been living a productive life here."

Raine raised her brow and said more to herself, "I think I understand what you mean, though."

Kiros put his hand on his hip. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Let's see..." Laguna wondered. "How's Ward doing?"

"Ward quit the army, too. Luckily, he found a job and he's working pretty hard. He's a janitor down at the D-District Prison."

"Wow. Can't picture him moppin' floors but I'm glad he's doing well."

"Oh, and he never got his voice back. You could basically tell what he wants from his facial expressions."

Laguna grimaced and put his hand on his own throat. "...How's Julia doing?"

Raine chimed in, "You mean Julia, the singer?"

Kiros nodded. "That's right. Laguna really admired her and always frequented the night club."

"Shut up! So what if I did!"

Raine frowned. "Julia used to sing at a night club?"

"No, she didn't sing. She just played the piano."

"Then the first song she released was 'Eyes On Me'?"

Laguna looked at Raine and stammered, "H-How does the song go?"

"You don't know?"

"Well, you never let me hear it!"

Raine shrugged. "I didn't think you listened to music. The song's about being in love... I really like it."

Kiros smirked. "Heard she recently got married."

"Oh yeah! To some army general, right? General Caraway something?" said Raine.

Kiros glanced at Laguna. "I'm not too sure."

"I read in a magazine that her true love went off to war and never came back. General Caraway comforted her while she was feeling down. That's how they got to know each other."

Kiros gave a sound of a mock sympathy, more to rile his friend up. "So she didn't wait for the soldier to come back...?"

Laguna reddened and waved his hands. "So what! Who cares! As long as she's happy, right? That's all that matters! Ain't that right, Elle?"

Ellone perked up. "Right! Uncle Laguna and Raine are..."

"Ahhhhhhhh! OK, enough talk about this!" Laguna stopped and listened. "...I think the faeries are here."

Kiros blinked. So that was that thing he felt back in Deling Hotel and Centra again. "Faeries? Yeah, I guess so..."

Laguna nodded. "So, what's your plan? You're gonna stick around here for a bit, right?"

"Would that be ok?" Kiros looked at Raine.

"You work for what you eat. If that's fine with you, you're more than welcome."

Laguna motioned him to go out. A bit puzzled, Kiros followed Laguna to the bridge leading out of the town square. Laguna turned and ran to the end of the village, Kiros on his tail.

"Laguna... What exactly do you do here?"

"It's like this. All the working men in this town were sent off to war. The monsters have made their way into town. This here town took real good care of me. So basically, I want to return the kindness. You're lookin' at the Monster Hunter of Winhill! So, as of today, you'll be my assistant. We're to patrol the town up to the town entrance! If we see anyone in need along the way, we help them. That's our basic duty! We're to report to the commander and assistant commander."

"Commander... You mean that woman at the pub?"

"Her name's Raine. She saved my life. And the assistant commander is Ellone."

"She seems like a nice person. But easily taken in by a hotshot."

Laguna grimaced. "A hotshot? OK, Assistant Kiros, let's come up with a plan after we get back to the base."

"Laguna... Are you doing this patrol thing every day?"

"'Thing'! What're you callin' 'THING'!"

"Weren't you aiming to become a world-travelling journalist? You've heard of 'Timber Maniacs', right? I had a talk with the chief editor. He said he's interested in any article related to world travel."

Laguna stopped and turned to face his friend. "That's great!"

"We should go talk to him sometime."

"Y-Yeah..." Laguna looked in the direction of the pub. "Um, it'd be ok if we stay here a bit longer, right?"

"You need time to gather more material? This seems like a really nice town. You're gonna write about this place first, aren't you?"

"No way. Can't make this town famous. Too much publicity and you get all those tourists and stuff."

"You're afraid someone might come and take Raine away? Laguna, you've changed, man."

Laguna jerked and screamed to the empty space, making a scene. "Hey! I see a monster!"

Kiros looked around, but Laguna ran to the direction of the pub. Sighing, Kiros tailed his friend into the pub. He found Laguna wait on the stairs and peek into the room above.

"...What?"

Laguna whispered, "Girl talk... Let's come back later."

At that moment, someone entered the pub. The bell rang, causing Raine and Elle's conversation to cease. Kiros and Laguna turned around to see Solange on the door.

"Hiya," said Solange, feeling the tense situation. She raised her Card box and fidgeted. "Should I just come back later? You guys are on to something?"

"Um…" Laguna turned to the stairs above him to see Elle and Raine walking down. The woman glared at him. "Eh, n-no. We did nothing. I mean… we…"

"We finished our duty," said Kiros. "We beat whatever it was that's need to be beaten."

"E-eh yeah!" Laguna saluted to Raine, who was crossing her arms and Elle who followed suit. "Done for today, Commander!"

Raine narrowed her eyes. "Good job. Go get some rest until I call you two for dinner. Solange, what are you doing here?"

Solange nudged to Kiros with her head. "He's gonna play Card with me."

Raine raised her brow and studied Kiros. "Oh, really? You don't seem to be that good of a player."

"I play Card a lot in the army," said Kiros. "Besides, how good should I be?"

Raine hummed and said to Solange, "Go easy on him."

Solange sighed. "I gotta get my money from somewhere. Uncle doesn't give me anything." She chose a table and sat. "Come on, come on."

"I'm going on ahead," Laguna said, patting Kiros's shoulder. "Don't lose too much, man. You're not exactly brimming with Gil there."

Frowning to his friend, Kiros sat on the chair across from Solange. Laguna left the pub as Raine walked Elle to her room for a nap. Solange opened her Card box and looked to Kiros. "Do you have anything to bet on?"

Kiros reached to his backpack near the door. "I'm not that rich, I don't know…"

"Yeah, yeah. I don't have me any money either." Solange took her Card out. "Let's see… how about my Snow?"

"Snow…" Kiros took out his Card box. "You mean your white Chocobo? Are you insane?"

"Am not." Solange stuck out her tongue.

"I don't have that much money to compare with that." Kiros watched the Card Solange placed on the table and felt his throat go dry. "Whoa. Whoa. Wait… wait a minute, how did you have all these?"

"Meh," said Solange, waving her hands. "If you lose, we'll go on dates on Snow until fall comes. You can do that, right?"

Kiros stared at the young woman. "That's it? A Chocobo date?"

"Dates. As much as I'd like to, I ain't gonna see any other guys until fall. This place isn't brimming with good selection of people to go out with."

Kiros watched the array of freckles on Solange's nose and cheeks, and frowned. Something didn't seem right. "How old are you?"

Solange smiled so wide, showing as many teeth as she could. "Do you really wanna know, Mr. Military man?"

"I'm not dating a kid."

"Good. I ain't one. Now the rules for this round is Open, Same and Combo. Triple Triad…" Solange drummed on the table, waiting for Kiros to choose his Card in panic. "Ready…"

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Irvine?"

"Mmm?" The sniper looked up, half-dazed. Rinoa stared down at him, swaying from their rough ride through the desert.

"Are you okay?" she asked the man lying on her lap. "Is your head hurt? Why'd you smile?"

"Got a nice dream." Irvine was in no rush to get up. "Must be from my comfy pillow…"

Rolling her eyes, Fujin hit the jeep brake. On the back, Irvine tumbled down Rinoa's lap, groaning and holding his head.

"Careful… I'm still very weak here…"

"Hey, Kinneas!" called Raijin next to Fuu. "Are you sure Seifer's gonna head here, ya know?"

_Here?_ Irvine looked up through the window. Dollet was in front of them. "He's already here. This is the only place in Galbadia they can run to."

"SURE?"

Not really, but Irvine's not willing to stay a minute longer in Deling City to find out. At least from Dollet he could take a boat to Balamb. "Yeah, I'm sure."

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

_How mundane is this job?_

Ward dragged around his mop and his bucket of water, spilling water all over the metal floor. _At least it pays._ He could be a bouncer at Deling Club, if only he could speak. _Heh._

Headed into the familiar floor, Ward saw a warden tumbled out from a cell, hand covering his bleeding nose. The warden glared at the janitor.

"What? Whaddaya want? Huh!" The warden spat on the floor and walked away. Ward shook his head and moved away from the spit. _I'm not gonna clean that up. Let another one steps on it. Crap cleans by itself._

He pushed the cell door open and entered. On the centre of the cell, a blonde haired woman crossed her arms with her chin raised. She saw him and relaxed.

"Oh. It's you."

Ward motioned to the door with his thumb. _Another suitor?_

The woman rolled her blue eyes. "Shut up. Bring anything for me?"

Ward made a motion of carrying an imaginary tray. He picked up an imaginary rose from it and handed it to the small woman. The woman pouted but accepted the imaginary flower. She smelt it.

"Better than nothing."

Ward pretended not to notice new scars on her bare arms and began mopping. The woman moved to the corner and sat. She watched the janitor working.

"I overheard them," she said. "Death sentence for me next week."

Ward stopped. He looked up from his mop and pointed to the woman.

"Yeah, I heard them right."

Ward straightened. He made a slicing motion to his neck and raised his fist up. _How many did you actually kill?_

"Does it matter?" the woman said. She scowled. "You killed people too."

Ward saluted and raised his palm up. _I was a soldier. Those were on commands._

"In the end their blood was still on your hands, you fool!" The small woman jumped up.

_No it's not._

"You're a giant idiot." She walked to the door and peeked out from the small hole. "Okay." She turned towards him. "Listen. I need your help."

Ward tilted his head.

She walked closer and motioned him to bend. She whispered in his ear. "You have to let me out of here."

Up close, Ward could see the wound on her knuckles. He sighed. _I am just a janitor. _He patted his empty pocket. _I don't have keys._

"I don't need keys. I can get out of this cell anytime I want," said the woman. She reached to Ward's hand that held the mop. Putting the mop back into the bucket, she held his hand. "Please. I need to get out. I can't die here."

Ward looked up to the ceiling. Then he turned back to the small woman and made a handcuffed motion and a stabbing move. _You're a criminal. You're gonna get back on killing again._

"I'm not!" hissed the woman. "I did that because those men were…" She closed her eyes and huffed. "You know what, you're one of them. Why did I ever trust you?"

_Hmm._ Ward crossed his arms. He put his index finger on his temple. _Trying to guilt-trip me?_

The woman gritted his teeth. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. What was I thinking? Just forget it." She pushed Ward, who didn't budge at all. "I'm a fool to think we're friends."

Ward watched the woman stomp to the edge of the wall and stare at it. After a while, she fidgeted and started punching the air. Ward looked down to his mop and bucket.

_Aw, the hell with it._ He moved to tap the woman. She spun, almost punching his stomach in the process.

"You scared me!" she said. "What?"

Ward gave a thumb up. _I'll help you._

The woman blinked. A smile formed on her lips. "Really? Really?"

Ward nodded.

"Yahoo!" The woman somersaulted in the air, nearly gutting the giant janitor. The janitor darted back.

_She doesn't even need to be conscious to kill people._ Ward tapped the woman's shoulder. _One thing._

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, sure! Whatever you want!"

Ward pointed to himself and to the woman. _I'm going with you._

The woman gave a wide smile, showing her sharp small set of teeth. "You do? You will? Yeah!" She jumped and hugged the janitor. Ward was pushed back from the surprising strength.

_Goodness._

"You promise, right? You promise!" The small woman released him and raised her hand, her pinkie finger up. "Promise on it!"

Ward linked his big pinkie finger on her.

_Promise._

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

_...Where am I?_

When he opened his eyes, he saw a metal bar. His room didn't have that ceiling. Ignoring the pain in his head and shoulder, Zell moved his hands up to his line of view.

Well, at least he still had his hands working.

Sitting up, Zell studied his surroundings. He was in a huge room made of metal, alone.

Zell stared down at the floor. "The 'dream world' again."

_Ward's been all alone. He's working in some sort of prison-like place. And he's bored outta his mind! All he wants is to be fightin' alongside Laguna. _

Zell's eyes widened as he looked around.

_Hey? Whoa? Wait a sec... I know this place! This is the prison that Ward works at! He's a janitor here! There're so many rooms just like this! It's got to be here! _

_What's going to happen to us? What's gonna happen to us? And where the hell is that guy, Irvine? And where's Squall...? Quistis… Did the sorceress..._

Zell gulped.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

The soles of her boots almost fell apart. Selphie thought it was still better to use it than to walk around Dollet barefoot. She stomped on the floor once more, and glanced to her left. Even if he did hear it, Seifer didn't move an inch. He seemed very content to sleep in a cot half his size.

Last night they spent all their energy running after trains, hitchhiking in the goat-filled cargo, and running to Dollet with nothing but their weapons and clothes on them. Bags and all other belongings were long forgotten. Seifer had his wallet taken in the barracks and there was no trace of it in the cupboard. It didn't matter once they reached Dollet. The kid who had Enya was so delighted when she knocked on their door. His grandfather told them to come in and to bathe before sleeping. The old man had continued painting his Card afterwards, leaving his grandson to run fetching towel and Enya barking with excitement all over Selphie.

"I'm going down first," said Selphie to Seifer. The latter waved his hand, half awake. The girl headed downstairs and peeked to the living area. Enya, who was sitting next to the painting grandfather, looked up and noticed her. It stood, ran up the stairs and barked.

"Hi there." Selphie reached down and petted the dog. "Yeah, I got a nice sleep."

"Hey, kid!" called the grandfather. "Come here, come here." He put down his brush and palette. "You two have to catch a boat, yeah?"

"We are. Thank you for letting us stay, Sir! That's very kind of you."

The grandfather hummed, crossed his arms and looked at Selphie in the eye. "Now, I don't really believe what I see on the TV, but this is really ridiculous."

Selphie blinked and looked down.

"You, killing the President? Heck, there's a limit to those media bullshit!" the grandfather said. He reached into his pants pocket and took out twenty Gil. "Now, that boy, I believe he can do that. You gotta do well to stay out of that kind of trouble once you get home, you hear me?"

Selphie shook her head when the old man reached for her hand. "No, wait; I can't accept this, Sir!"

"Aw, shut it." The grandfather placed the coins into her palm. "You gotta eat sometime. The boat's coming soon, for those stinky goats. You can cross for free if you're willing to share with those smelly buggers."

"Enya! Enyaaa… don't leave me fetching the ball for you!" The door opened, and the kid ran in. "Oh, you're awake!"

"Hi there!"

"Hi!" The kid grinned. "You have to leave soon, right? Let's go out and play now then!"

"Oh…" Selphie looked to the room upstairs, but there was no Seifer-shape creature walking around. "Sure, for a while!" She followed the kid out. Enya tailed them out, tail wagging at an extreme speed.

"Mom came by a while ago," said the kid while walking to the beach, "she gave me this old dumb Card." He pulled the Card out of his shorts' pocket and showed it to Selphie. "I don't want it. You want it? After three games I'll give it to ya!"

Selphie almost dropped her Gil when she saw Sacred Card. "Wh—eh… sure!"

"Yeah!" The kid ran down the stairs to the beach. "Come on, come on!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

_It… doesn't hurt._

Eyes closed, Squall rolled his body, trying to stand up, only to fall onto the metal floor. He sighed, looking back to where he lay. A metal cot hung on the wall…of…

He looked around. _Of whatever this place is._ He was in a small room. The wall was rounded, creating a capsule-like area around him. A toilet placed on the far end of the claustrophobic room, as if he'd ever use that. There must be a camera set up inside this thing.

_...Where am I? I... challenged Edea... My wound...? No wound...? How...? The Galbadian soldiers... We were surrounded. Where is everyone? Quistis… did she…?_

-x-x-x-x-x-

When she pulled herself out of the dark, Quistis realized she was standing. But she couldn't move. Her head was pounding, pain in the centre of her skull. Her arms and feet bound onto the wall, wrapped in thick cables leading down to machinery a few feet below her. The pale-looking man stood in front of the machine with a man wearing guard's uniform. He noticed Quistis pulling on the cables, and looked up at her.

"Nice to have you with us, Miss Trepe."

_Miss Trepe?_ Ignoring the bleeding wound on her upper left chest, Quistis tried to place where she had seen the man. A tall, pale teen with thin figure, had dead-looking eyes, thin lips and long hair flowing down his back. Scored A+ in long range weapon, double A+ in tactics and war strategy, pragmatic and materialistic, noted problematic ignorant behaviour. "…Emil Jeffress."

"So you still remember me out of thousands of cadets. A top SeeD, indeed." Emil shifted his weight, no longer touching the machine. "And a master assassin. I have to say, it's not easy jumping down from that height. You're very accurate. Yet Mistress Edea was not an easy target."

"...What do you want?"

"Yes, let's go straight to the point. I like that. SeeD. What is it? Edea demands to know."

"SeeD..."_What?_ "...Don't you already know?"

"I'm not a SeeD. There must be some kind of secret you're given when you become a SeeD."

_There is more secret given when you work out of SeeD._ "There's nothing. Even if there were, you think I'd tell you?"

"Of course you don't. So I prepared something for you." Emil snapped fingers and the warden pressed the switch on the machine.

Sparks of electricity ran down the cables, up to the woman on the wall, jamming their current into her skin, almost skinning her alive. Quistis gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes close. It felt like the electricity pulled on her eyeballs, crawling behind them and kicking them out of the sockets.

"Arrrrghhhh..."

"Even if you don't talk, others will. The gunblader or that short blonde. He doesn't look all that quiet to me, seeing how he was crying all the way when they threw him here."

Quistis breathed out when the electricity stopped. "...They're... here...?"

"Oh, you bet. But since I admire you so much, I thought you should go first. I was hoping you'd be there, Miss Trepe. So... how'd I look in my moment? It's much better to be the sorceress' knight than some murderer working for a worthless company run by the weak fat man."

It was really painful just to breathe. "Better? But now you're just... A torturer."

Quistis fainted.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Well, if what the gramps watched on TV was right," said Seifer, following Selphie down to the beach. "They can't be in Deling city now. They failed, they would've fled."

"I wonder…" Selphie looked around for a cargo boat. "I mean, they're not supposed to fail. Irvine's a good shooter. Squall should be able to wrap things up if things get messy."

"This is the pouty brat we're talking about. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't know how to zip his pants. Why'd you think he wears so many belts?"

"There they are!" a shout was heard behind them. Seifer whirled around, hand ready on his Hyperion.

"Where are you guys going?" shouted Rinoa, running towards them. "We need your help! Are you two going to Balamb?"

Seifer blinked. Irvine, Fujin and Raijin showed up behind Rinoa. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We need to go get Squall!" Rinoa caught up to Seifer and held his hand. "He's in prison now! We need to get him out!"

"Prison?" Seifer closed his eyes. "Dammit."

"Quistis and Zell are with him," said Irvine. "Last I saw, she's in bad shape. If we're not hurry, she'll perish."

"Quistis…" Seifer turned to Irvine. "Wait. What do you mean, she's with him? She's supposed to be in Balamb now! She's supposed to part with Rai and Fuu in the G-Garden train station!"

"We're not," said Raijin. "Um. So she's apparently this kinda assassin, ya know, the kind that kills people in private."

"Wh…" Seifer reached out and grabbed Irvine's coat lapel. "This wasn't what I heard. You better explain yourself, you Chocoboy."

"Whoa." Irvine raised both hands up. "Easy. I'll explain everythin', but we need to get goin'."

"Yeah!" said Rinoa, still not letting Seifer's arm go. "We need to head to the Desert Prison now!"

Seifer took a deep breath and turned to Selphie. "…You go back to Balamb with Rinoa."

"What?" Selphie shook her head. "No! No way!"

"I'm not going to Balamb when my friends are in danger!" said Rinoa. "What are you talking about, Seifer!"

Seifer released Irvine's lapel and took Rinoa's hands into his. "Listen. I'm going to say this only once. You are Squall's client. His order is to keep you safe. What makes you think he'll want you to go into the prison to release him?"

"Well, I can't just stay in Balamb and do nothing!" said Rinoa. "I can fight too!"

Seifer glanced to Irvine, who gave a slight shake of his head. "I don't doubt it. But orders are orders. You are supposed to stay safe."

"Well… well I'm not your client!" Rinoa huffed, pulling her hands from Seifer. "I do what I want!"

Seifer turned to the pathway to the city when Angelo appeared and ran to Rinoa's side. "Selphie. Since you're the only one left out of Squall's team, you decide."

"What?" Rinoa turned to Selphie. "No! This can't be!"

Selphie stared at Seifer and turned to Rinoa. "Well… since nobody else from my team can make an adjustment for our mission, I take the command." She turned to Fujin and Raijin. "I ask cadet Fujin and Raijin to accompany my charges, Rinoa Heartily Caraway and Angelo into Balamb Garden and keep them safe, until someone from my team take over the charges."

"No!" Rinoa shouted. Fujin and Raijin straightened their postures and saluted to Selphie. "You can't do this to me! Why?" Angelo tilted her head and whined when Raijin and Fujin grabbed Rinoa's arms and lifted her up. "No! You can't do this to me! You're not in charge!"

"Well, your so-called friends are all in the military," said Seifer. "The boat's that way. It's free, if you're willing to shack up with those goats." Angelo watched him in confusion, before following her master to the cargo boat docked far away. Rinoa flailed and kicked, yelling for the two to release her.

Irvine sighed. "Well, bye-bye my two sweethearts." He stepped back as Seifer reached to his coat lapel again. "Oh, come on, we can talk without your hand on my throat."

"Funny, I think you'll behave better that way." Seifer moved to Irvine. "Now explain what the hell Rai meant by an assassin. And don't give me that wishy washy stupid tale of yours, you bullshit sniper."

"Ah," Irvine chimed when Seifer's hand found his coat lapel again. "Selphie, would you mind drivin' us? I'll direct you there. I gotta feeling I'm not gonna be fit enough to drive."

"Seifer." Selphie grabbed Seifer's arm. "Listen. We're bonded, right?"

Seifer opened his mouth, frowned and said slowly, "…Seems so."

"That means I can't leave you. And you can't leave me." Selphie stared up at him. "Don't try to tell me to go to a safe place anymore. I'm not a civilian. I know how to defend myself. I am not Rinoa." She released her grip and headed to the stairway up to the city.

Seifer watched her leave, and sighed. _I just need to make sure you're safe._

Irvine studied his expression and lifted his brow. "Trouble in lover's paradise…?"

Gritting his teeth, Seifer walked away while holding on Irvine's coat. The sniper stammered and followed the gunblader.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

_It's no use. _Zell looked up and winced. None of his stocked magic worked in this room. _There seems to be an anti-magic field here._

He turned to the door when it opened. A red lion, the kind that looked like a stuffed mascot out of an old theme park walked into the room. It carried a tray of food. In the middle of the room, it tripped on the metal bar floor and everything it carried fell.

"What was that noise!" A warden walked in. "You again!" He walked to the lion and kicked it.

Zell jumped up. _Damn him...that numskull!_

"YO! Who do you think you are?" the warden shouted and raised his hand to hit Zell. Zell caught the hand halfway down and glared. The warden pulled back and stammered. "Y-You'll regret this!" The warden turned and ran out of the room.

"You're okay? Here, come here." Zell went to the mini lion and hugged it. The mini lion hugged him back.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Well now, Miss Trepe. I'll ask again."

Quistis couldn't see anything. Everything was a blur. After the second electrocution, she was just trying to keep herself awake.

_Breathe in. Breathe out._

"What is SeeD? And why do they oppose the sorceress?"

_SeeD... Oppose the sorceress...?_

There was the sound of an opened door. "Sir Emil, the missiles are ready to launch."

"Excellent."

The door was closed. In front of her, a blur that should be Emil looked up at her. "Balamb Garden is to be destroyed on charges of training SeeDs to oppose the sorceress."

_WHAT?_

"It's a pity, really. I grew up there, too... But orders are orders, and Edea wants it destroyed."

"N-No..."

"After the Garden's gone, the SeeD hunt will begin. I'll be Edea's bloodhound and hunt down every one of your kind. It'll be fun. Don't die on me yet. Continue with the interrogation."

The blur faded. Another blur that was unmoving in front of the machine yelled at her.

"Ready to talk?"

"I... don't understand... the question..."

"Don't mess with me! Edea says you know something! Now spit it out! Talk! What is SeeD all about?"

Another current. Quistis's throat was so dry, she couldn't scream anymore. Perhaps it's true that once you feel the immeasurable pain, you'll live through the second and the third. She still felt the stabbing on her skin and the crash of the organs inside her body, but it didn't feel like hers anymore.

_SeeD... Aren't we... mercenaries... from Balamb Garden... Special forces...?_

"So?"

"..."

"What's that?"

"...Flower."

"What did you say?"

"The true...goal of SeeD... To spread... seeds all over the world... Fill... the world w-with flowers."

"Yeah right!"

"I-It's the truth. See—seeing flowers takes... away people's will to fight." It hurts. Dammit, all her interrogation practices fell out of the window at times like these.

"What then? SeeD wants to bring love and peace to the world...? Ha ha hah! Don't make me laugh! You can't fool me!"

"W-We...steal the will to fight... Then we in-invade..." Quistis dropped her head low.

"What? Hey!"

Maybe it was better for her to just sleep…

The door opened again. Someone stepped into the room.

"You! Watch her!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

"I can't just sit here. We have to think of a way to escape." Looking to the Moomba who sat next to him, Zell said, "Well, I can't rely on magic here, so we have to go with weapons. We have to somehow get them back..."

_Weapons... My weapons are these fists o'mine! I could do some serious damage without weapons! It's up to me, baby!_

Zell hopped up and pointed to the Moomba. "Play dead!"

The Moomba perked up. It fell onto the floor, eyes open and mouth wide in shock.

Zell ran to the door. "Guard! Guard! I need some help! Open the door!"

"What is it?"

"The Moomba is dead! I think a snake bit it!"

"What?"

When the warden entered, Zell charged and punched him in the stomach. The warden fell to the floor. Nudging the man with his shoe, Zell grinned.

"Well, I'm off!" Zell waved to the Moomba, who had sat up. It jumped up and raised its hand at Zell. "Huh? You wanna go, too?"

It nodded.

"Aah, I guess... Just don't get in the way!"

Zell peeked outside the door. It was quiet. He looked down and saw number 7 grafted onto the metal floor. The hall was round with stairs up and down on the west and east side of the wall. So he was high up. Where did they keep Squall and Quistis?

The Moomba peeked out from behind Zell, and charged out. It ran upstairs.

"Nah, I don't think he's gonna be up there…" Zell looked to the stairs leading down. Tiptoeing outside the room, Zell headed downstairs. "Maybe on the first floor?"

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"What you're saying is…" Seifer kept his head leaned on the back of his seat. "The three of you are some kind of a secret assassin group? You, Instructor and Nida?"

"That's what I mean," said Irvine on the shotgun seat. He pointed to his right. "That way."

Selphie turned the wheel to the direction. "So Quistis was supposed to help Squall in the mission?"

"Not just Squall. All of the main team."

"That's why she covered for Squall when Edea threw that ice at him?"

Seifer groaned. "Stupid brat. This is just messy."

Selphie watched the path they were on. Everything around them was sand; they had left the dirt path hours ago. "You sure you know the way?"

"I… did some pickups every now and then." Irvine shrugged. "Never been in, but I heard stories."

"Pickups?" said Seifer. "I heard nobody gets out."

"And you should believe that official story."

Seifer moved to the space between the front seats and stared at Irvine. "You're an infamous assassin but you're not a SeeD?"

"It doesn't work that way." Irvine fidgeted. "Martine doesn't need SeeD, he needs shadow group. I shouldn't say anythin' more about this."

Narrowing his eyes at him, Seifer slithered back to his seat.

"There!" Selphie pointed at a large pillar ahead. As their jeep got closer, the pillar changed into a massive steel tower. Gust of wind and sand glided around the soaring tower, as if summoned to guard it.

"…Now how do we get in?" Seifer pulled the window down and watched the top of the tower. It was hidden behind the clouds. "Got any idea?"

"Or two," said Irvine. "I'm gonna need a girl to… you know, be the bait."

Selphie stuck her tongue out.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

* * *

**_To be continued…_**

* * *

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

A.N.: Whoa, it's getting too long if I continue. Last time I just did 21 chapters on Disc 1 alone. Hopefully it wouldn't take that much on Disc 2. I don't want to end this in another 60 chapters (no, come on, who wants to do THAT?) Things changed even more drastic than before. But since you've read to this part, I suppose you can accept the changes already, so I'm going to make some other changes up ahead.


	23. Behind the Bar

**Chapter 23**

**Behind the Bar**

* * *

-x-

-x-

For a prison well known for their inhumane living conditions and powerful guards, Zell didn't have a hard time walking through the lower level of the prison. At first, he tiptoed downstairs, sometimes crawling and peeking above the railings of the stairs he descended on. Then he walked, telling himself not to peek into some cells. Few levels afterwards, he skipped and twirled with hands up above his head and whistled. No soldiers appeared. He was almost disappointed.

On the first level, Zell saw an opened door. He crouched and crawled towards the door, then peeked inside. Nobody was around. A magazine left open on the floor, some bottles of liquids and a number of items around it. Zell pushed himself from the floor and walked in, taking the magazine.

"When you saw the enemy coming towards you and they were unsteady, you can do the Dolphin Kick. Push-kick-push-kick-push… what the…" Zell flipped the magazine and saw the cover. "Combat King 001. What a joke." Zell rolled the magazine and tucked it on the back of his pants. He reached for one of the vials on the floor.

"Wonder what this is," he said, studying the transparent liquid on his hand. Something echoed in his head. Zell looked at the empty door, and tilted his head. This familiar echo… "Guys? Are you guys still there?" He could hear a hum, but nothing else. Zell looked down to the strange eraser-like square rubber on the floor, two more vials and the bottle in his hand.

"If you guys are telling me to take them, I was about to anyway. These can be useful." The soldiers had stripped down his wallet and—just his wallet. Zell left everything else in the hotel. Not that clothes and stuff like that was important to him anyway. Zell glanced up, to the spike he had. It was now a flop of messy bangs. He wished he took his industrial-strength hair gel.

Putting everything that he found in his baggy pockets, Zell made his way up. Now as he returned to the seventh level, he made sure to peek into the window of the cell doors every now and then. Every cell had a prisoner. They didn't seem to care if anyone peeked through the window. Some of the men were sitting on the corner, their eyes closed. Their skins were sunken, pale and thin. One of the prisoners was lying on the floor, eyes wide and mouth open. Zell wasn't interested in breaking the door to check on him. He quickened his pace, ascending towards his own floor. There was no trace of his squad mates on the lower level. His only option was to go up and try to look into every door.

He heard some noise from the floor above him. Zell lowered himself on the stairs. Pushing his body up the stairs while keeping his body down with his heel, he raised his chin and glanced into the upper level. Two soldiers were crouching near each other.

"Look at this... SeeD weapons..."

"Is this what they call a gunblade?" One of the soldiers raised his hand, holding a Shear Trigger.

The other soldier chuckled and swung a leather rope in his hand. "Check these out, a whip... Can you guess what kind of person uses this during combat?"

_That's Squall and Quistis's weapons!_

His friend chuckled. "Ooh, my Queen, my Queen, I surrender!" he said, sitting on his heels and cackling. His head up and his eyes closed, he only felt a slight pain when a pair of hands reached out from his back, grabbed his jaw and twisted the muscle in his neck backwards.

The other soldier jumped from his position and scurried back, seeing the corpse of his friend now slack against a boy behind him. "Y-You, an escapee?"

Zell waved, one hand pushing the dead man away. "Yo. I'm here to reclaim these."

The soldier plucked a small switch from his belt and yelled, "Alarm! Alarm! A prisoner escaped! A priso—" he was cut short with a well-aimed throw of a leather whip onto his face. Zell charged; one hand reached for the switch held by the soldier, another hand in a fist towards the man's rib. The soldier shouted in anguish. Zell jammed the heel of his palm up, knocking the jaw of the soldier. With the blood all over his face, the man let go of the switch when Zell's hand pulling it from his grip. Zell aimed the sharp edge of his knuckles into the man's eye socket. His knee met the soldier's stomach, and the soldier fell onto the floor.

"So… let's see…" Zell wiped his hands on the back of his shirt and hummed at the sight of Shear Trigger, two Card boxes and a whip. He pocketed the Card boxes, tried to pick up the gunblade and grimaced. He realized why Squall had to use two hands to lift the gunblade. "No, can't take this all the way with me."

"Brr?"

Zell looked towards the stairs. A Moomba peeked from the upper level.

"Oh, hey. Can you help me carry this down?" Zell took the whip and waited until the Moomba skipped to him. Together, they lifted Shear Trigger. "Into my room—I mean, my cell."

Five years ago, Zell had to choose his Specialty class. At the time, he was already familiar enough with other weapons he had to use sometime in his work. He was never into a huge weird knife-sword-gun thing, although it was a huge trend back then. Thanks to the show 'Cloud the Mako', the popular thriller-mystery show still on air as of today. Out of his fifty classmates signing up for the Gunblade Specialty Training, only two end up using the gunblades after two weeks. They still used it nowadays. Zell thought it was probably due to arrogance and pride to both, because there was no way they actually liked using this weird sword-gun thing all the time. Zell always preferred to use his hands and feet, thank you very much.

Whip… now this was just weird. He never saw anyone else using this. The first time Instructor Trepe came to teach in her class, everyone was wondering if she was kidding. A whip?

It didn't take much to convince anyone that it was an option, when in the afternoon, the instructor was on the back of a T-rexaur, and the strangling of her leather whip on its neck was the only thing helping her to hang on. She flung into the bush after a few minutes and the rest of the class had to run when no one remembered to pack Sleep magic, but he got the point all the same, bonus ripped hair and sore throat from screaming. The tallest of them was shouting a few obscenities towards the monster and obtained a nice sharp tooth embedded in his thigh for his troubles. Then Quistis had to drag Seifer out.

The only student that managed to avoid any injuries was late because he ran after a jogging kid before his afternoon class. He was locked outside the Training Centre because of five rounds of Card games. When the instructor finished filling all of her students but one into the clinic, she didn't even manage to locate Squall Leonhart, who ran after hearing that she'd take away all his Cards when he show up later.

"Thanks." Zell placed the whip on the floor. The Moomba placed the gunblade next to the whip. It had licked on the handle while carrying it, and seemed surprised. Zell looked around his cell. The soldier he punched earlier had gone.

"Is this the cell with the uncooperative prisoners?"

"Yes, this is it. Please give'em something to really complain about."

Zell turned towards the noise outside the door.

"Should we be picking on prisoners so soon after gettin' transferred here?"

"Just be quiet, and let me handle this!"

"T-These are the prisoners, Lieutenant Biggs, Private Wedge."

_Biggs? Wedge?_ Zell stood next to the weapons when the soldiers walked in. Their eyes locked, and together, all three let out a strangled cry.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Biggs, still slightly crouched, pointed to Zell with his metal glove. "S-So we meet again! Now we'll teach you the lesson we should have taught you earlier! I know it might seem cowardly to fight unarmed prisoner... But I hope you appreciate our position. Hey, it's a dog eat do—"

Wedge nudged on Biggs' shoulder. "Uh, this one is the martial artist, sir..."

"W-WHAT? Ahh, hell with it! Let's go, Wedge!" Biggs pulled a gun from his back holster. The soldier who reported on Zell saw this, turned and fled the room. "I was demoted because of you! I'm only lieutenant now! I'll get my revenge!"

Looking at Wedge who also drew out his weapon, Zell decided he had to make the first move. He charged after Biggs, shoving the automatic machine gun onto the lieutenant's chest. Biggs stepped back in surprise. Zell raised one of his hands from the machine gun and punched Biggs' face, breaking the lieutenant's nose. Zell lifted one of his feet, twisted and kicked Wedge's shoulder, causing the soldier to stumble back.

"O-Ouch!" Wedge fell onto the floor, only one hand holding his machine gun. Pushing himself up, he didn't see the little Moomba throwing the whip to his face. "Ow! What's that?"

Zell drew his fist back and crushed Biggs' bleeding nose once more, pushing himself away from the soldier while pulling the machine gun from the lieutenant. Turning the mouth of the machine gun towards the lieutenant's foot, he pulled the trigger and released his grip. Biggs shouted when his own machine gun shot his leg, as Zell twisted his body and jumped onto Wedge. He pushed the private down to the floor, and jammed his knee on the private's heart.

"Aagh! I don't wanna be demo—" Wedge failed his words when the Moomba, courageous from its successful throw, ran over and jumped on the private's face. Its foot knocked the private's jaw, knocking Wedge unconscious.

Zell grinned towards the proud-looking Moomba and hopped up, turning towards Biggs. The soldier huddled on the floor, hands on his foot. Zell walked towards him, drew his foot back and kicked the lieutenant's jaw. The man went limp on the ground.

"Okay, we can't be here any longer." Zell combed his messy hair back from his eyes and looked at the weapon he had just placed. "We need to take the weapon after all."

The Moomba perked up. It ran to the gunblade, picked it up and said, "Laguna!"

"Laguna?" Zell looked at the Shear Trigger on its furry paws. "No, it's Squall's."

"Laguna!" said the Moomba again. It lifted the gunblade on its shoulder and hopped out. Zell watched the Moomba skip upstairs.

"…I guess that's the only word that thing knows. Laguna." Zell shook his head. "Weird. If Ward could speak, I wouldn't be so surprised if he actually taught the Moomba…" Thankful that he didn't have to carry the heavy weapon up, Zell took the whip and left the room.

After he left, Biggs raised his head from the floor.

"D-Don't think you can just walk out..." he said, reaching towards his belt. He pushed the small switch on his belt, groaned and fainted.

On the stairs half way up, Zell turned his head around when a loud blare rang. "What the...?"

**-Warning! Escapee alert! Monsters will be let loose on each floor. If escapee refuses to surrender, you have permission to kill. The anti-magic field will be lifted.-**

"Tch! The security alarm!"

-x-

-x-

On a day like this, guarding the prison's outer wall was hell. The rotation was never fair. Those who had to stand outside on the balcony always ended up with burnt skins and enormous odor from the inside of their armors. Nobody liked this shift. Who would want to get into the prison anyway? If anything, they had to watch for prisoners wanting to break out.

The soldier looked down from his railings. "What's that?"

His friend, three levels above him, on his own balcony, looked down. A jeep stopped in front of the metal pillar.

A rather built soldier, wearing a hat and an impeccable uniform, stepped out from the driver's door. He looked up towards the guards.

"Hey!" he said.

The soldiers snorted. Clean uniform and soldier's hat, spotless without any stain like that, only meant one thing. This was Deling's guard.

"Yo!" said the soldier on the thirteenth level. "What're you doing here? Aren't you far away from home?"

"I'm under orders!" said the Deling City guard. "You know the whole mess in Deling City, right?"

"Yeah yeah," said the soldier on the sixteenth level, leaning against the railings. "What do ya want?"

"We caught a wanted kid!" said the guard. "You know the kids who tried to kill the president?"

"Those Timber Fowls?"

"Owls!" Deling guard sounded irritated. "Anyway…" He walked to the passenger door and pulled the door open, reaching inside. "We got one!"

"Lemme go!" a girl shouted. The guard pulled her arm and dragged her out of the jeep. The brown-haired girl huffed and jerked her arm away from the guard.

"What?" The soldier on the thirteenth level crouched for a better look. The small girl wore a yellow jumper and brown boots, hands tied in handcuffs in front of her. She glared at him. "Man, she's just a kid."

"Well, duh." The Deling City guard pushed the girl closer to the prison wall. "There. I finished what I gotta do. Now where do I sign the transfer form?"

The sixteenth floor guard sighed and said to the thirteenth level guard, "You go."

"What?" the thirteenth level guard groaned. "Why don't you go?"

"You're closer to the ground."

"Damn." The thirteenth level guard stood and patted around the railings. He flipped on the switch hidden in the corner of the fence. The balcony creaked, and separated from the outer wall. The porch descended, thick chains on four corners of the railings lowering it down.

Once he reached the ground, the guard hopped out from the balcony and ambled towards the Deling City guard and the girl.

"You have to get in first," the guard said, motioning to the balcony. "The form's inside. Come on."

At close range, the Deling City guard had bigger built than he thought, taller than him. The Deling guard smiled and placed two fingers on the rim of his hat.

"Thanks," he said.

The soldier caught a glint from the corner of his eyes. He looked at the back of the jeep when a small thud echoed from it. The spark was gone. Up above, he heard a grunt and a familiar sound of machine gun falling to the metal floor. He often heard that sound when his friends had had a little too much beer after their shifts.

The girl reached out and grabbed his arm with her handcuffed hands. The soldier looked down, not understanding. He just looked up when a fist connected with his face.

-x-

-x-

So, nails didn't work. The belts managed to make small dents in the metal, but that was nothing. If he had to make a dent out of this massive circular door in order to get out, he'd be here forever. There was no ventilation hole in this capsule.

Squall sat down and leaned on the metal cot, drawing his knees up. He could hear Shiva and Carbuncle again, after a long silence from both. Neither could offer anything for him in order to get out.

"Laguna!"

"Here?"

Someone knocked on the door from the outside. Squall glanced at the metal door.

"Squall!" That was Zell's voice. "Squall! Are you here?"

Squall stood up. "Zell!"

"Yeah! We found him!"

"Laguna!" said another voice. Squall never heard it before.

"Okay…" Zell said. "There, there… turn it this way! This way!"

"Laguna!"

The metal door squeaked and opened. Zell grinned at him.

"Yo!" he said, arms wide in front of the door. "Come here!"

Squall hesitated.

Zell scowled. "You gotta come here if you want to leave."

An odd, red and orange creature peeked inside the capsule. It perked up when it saw him. "Laguna!"

"A Moomba?" Squall stared at Zell. "What is this thing doing here?"

The Moomba ran in and lunged at Squall. Squall fell to the floor. "Laguna! Laguna!"

"No. I'm not Laguna. Go." Squall moved his head away, avoiding the Moomba licks. "Go!"

"Laguna! Laguna!"

"Hey, he's a great team player!" said Zell, raising Squall's Shear Trigger. "See this? He even brought it for you!"

Squall pushed himself up from the floor, ignoring the Moomba. It hugged his leg. "Get this thing away from me."

"Aww, come on." Zell pulled the man into his arms. "Nice to meet you again, man!"

Squall wriggled. "Get off."

Zell grinned and released him. "Anyway. You look good, man. Like nothing happened to you." He watched as Squall lifted his gunblade and checked his weapon. "…I hope Quistis gets cured too."

Squall froze. He stared up from his weapon. "You hope?"

Zell shrugged. "I haven't found her."

"What?" Squall straightened. "What are you doing all this time?"

"Bwuh?" Zell stepped back. "I tried to find you, of course! What the hell did you think I do?"

Squall glared at the Moomba snuggling his knee.

"Oh, come on." Zell crossed his arms. "I'm not just playing with the Moomba!"

Squall swung his Shear Trigger, trying it out. He grimaced at the sticky handle. "What is this?"

"The Moomba licked it."

Squall glared down. The Moomba looked up at him in adoration. "Just… just get it away from me."

"Nah. If it wants to hump your leg as a reward, I'm not gonna stop it," said Zell. He drew out a box from his pants pocket. "Here."

Squall accepted his Card box. He placed the gunblade against his hip, then opened the box and checked the Cards. He studied a new Card placed between his Zell Card and Ifrit. "What's this? I only have twenty three Buel."

Zell's jaw slack in astonishment. "W—wow. You counted?"

"What's this?" Squall raised the new Buel card, and glowered. "Why is this dirty Card in my box?"

"It's not that dirty!" Zell fidgeted. "So I may have used your Card earlier…" He scooted back, avoiding the angry swipe of the gunblader. "Hey, hey, I won, okay? I got this as a prize!" Zell drew chained necklace from under his shirt. He showed a medallion. "It's a battle meter. So now we can report more detailed monster battles into our SeeD accounts."

Squall studied the medallion, and released it, leaving it hanging to Zell's neck. "Fine."

"So you don't want that Card?" Zell raised his palm. "Give it to me then. I won that."

Pretending he heard nothing, Squall wiped the dirty Card on his pants, trying to clean the grease out as best as he could. He blew a steam on the Card and wiped it some more. The gunblader carefully placed the Card into the Buel section. He would have to clean it again sometime later. Ignoring the angry scowl of the martial artist, he tucked his Card box into his pocket.

Zell pulled the Moomba away from Squall's leg. "Come, just go with us and you can hump this jerk when he's asleep later."

Squall noticed a curled whip on Zell's belt. "Why is that whip dirty?"

Zell peered down. "Oh. I threw it on some people." He removed the whip, just now noticing the blood staining the leather. "…Instructor isn't gonna like this."

Squall took the whip from Zell's hand. "I'll clean it."

"Really? You can do that before we get to the Instructor?"

"I can, with the blood of a Moomba." Squall watched with satisfaction as the Moomba yelped and hid behind Zell.

Zell rolled his eyes. "Oh ha-ha. Come on, Moombs, just ignore him." He held the Moomba's paw and walked away. The Moomba looked behind, to Squall and to the whip before turning back.

Following behind the pair, Squall examined the whip. The stain wasn't a joke. Any weapon had to be clean to make the right effect towards the enemy. The whip was blood stained in almost half its length.

Zell was always ignorant, but even he had to remember their lesson about weapon hygiene. Quistis Trepe was the one lecturing them on it. Zell's knuckles were bleeding from the fights during their morning practice and Quistis chewed him on it. She bought him his first leather gloves, the one Zell still used now. She wanted everyone to remember that their weapon was the most important thing that separated them and death. After every battle, clean your weapon. Never let it damaged to the point that you couldn't fix. You should always keep the weapon in top shape. Any stain, any dirt meant less accuracy. Even one percent loss of accuracy could take your life.

While walking upstairs, Squall tried to wipe the blood from the leather. His leather cleaning solution was in Garden. That solution always worked for his leather jacket and pants. He should be able to clean this up when they got back. He observed the length of the whip, looking for any tear or loose knot in it.

"Hey, Squall!" Zell was in front of a large iron door. The Moomba sniffed and pushed it with no avail. Zell motioned to the door. "I think someone's probably here."

Squall pushed on the door handle. It was locked.

"Let's just force it open!" said Zell.

"Hey!" a guard shouted from the cell door next to the large iron door. "What do you think you're doing!"

Standing next to the cell door, the Moomba squeaked when the soldier ran past it, knocking it down. More soldiers appeared from the cell. The Moomba crawled away past the rush of the soldiers and fled upstairs.

"Carbuncle! Reflect!" Squall said.

"This way!" shouted the guard. One guard stood next to the door and shot. Zell grimaced when the bullet grazed his shoulder.

A black hole appeared in front of Squall. A small, green creature peeked out from the hole. Its eyes widened when it saw a rush of guards coming towards it. It shrieked and jumped out from the hole, huddling itself into a green ball in the air. From the ball of its body, a gust of wind materialized. It covered Zell and Squall. The tiny creature darted back into the hole and the black hole faded.

**D**on't do that! Don't summon me when they're about to attack you**! **cried Carbuncle. **T**hey almost got me**!**

**-Well, that's why they need Reflect.- **said Shiva.

…_Thanks anyway. _

"What's that green thing you just summoned?" said Zell as bullets reflected on the green shields in front of them. "That thing's super cute."

Carbuncle tweeted, pleased.

_Don't even think about it,_ Squall thought. _Unless you want to share with two bull guards from the Tomb of the Unknown King._

**S**tephan and Edmund**?** Carbuncle squealed. **T**hey're in him? Yeah, I wanna go! I wanna go**!**

**-They haven't used those names in a long time, honey. It's Sacred and Minotaur now. They don't look like what you remembered anymore.-**

_Stephan and Edmund?_

**-We knew each other at some point. It doesn't concern you, my Lion. Just focus on the battle.-**

_Wait a minute. Carbuncle, where's your Card?_

**W**hy**?**

-x-

-x-

She heard another creak from the door. Hoping they would leave if they thought she still fainted, she kept her eyes closed.

"Hey!"

Funny, she thought she knew that voice.

"Instructor!"

"Wake up!"

"Come on, Instructor!"

Her shackles removed, she collapsed and readied herself to crash onto the floor. Someone stopped the impact, holding her close and slowly setting her down. She peeked through one eye. All red. Then the person wiped the blood and tears from her lids, fingers gently dividing each stuck eyelash from grease and dry blood. She blinked and saw Squall. His hands combed her matted hair, wiping the sweat and blood out of each strand.

Zell crouched next to her. "You OK?"

Quistis frowned, swallowed and opened her mouth. She could only let out a croak, "…Why …re you guys …re?"

"What? Where else should we be?" Zell lifted his palm and set it on her forehead. "Cura."

Squall glanced to the blond. "Don't you have Curaga?"

"No, I don't. Never have one." Zell waited until Quistis's bleeding wound on her temple closed. "Hope there's no infection there. We don't have any bandage."

Quistis turned away from Squall's arm and coughed, expelling blood and lumps from her dry throat. Once she coughed, her throat tightened and she couldn't stop. She felt a hand placed on the back of her neck.

"Curaga," Squall mumbled. A tingling sensation entered Quistis's skin. Her throat eased up, her coughs lessened and she wheezed. "…I only have one."

Quistis patted her chest. The wound had stopped bleeding. It stung every time she moved, but she probably wouldn't die from massive blood loss. Seeing this, Squall reached and pulled her suit down.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Zell stopped the gunblader from pulling the suit. "Hey, what are you thinking?"

Squall pulled his hand from Zell's grip. "That ice was in her chest, remember?"

Zell saw the pool of blood on Quistis's suit. "Well, yeah, but you don't have to strip her! Just ask her how she's doing!"

Quistis pulled her suit up. "…'M fine. Let's go..." She pushed her body up, but her trembling arms betrayed her mind. She collapsed and dry heaved.

Squall looped his arms around her body and lifted her. Quistis squirmed away from the gunblader once she stood and raised her palm. "My whip," she demanded.

Looking unsure, the gunblader removed the whip and threw it to her. "Catch."

Unable to control tremors in her hand, Quistis failed to catch the whip. The leather whip fell to the floor, and the woman bent down. Squall was faster. He swiped the whip from her reach.

Quistis gritted her teeth, seeing the gunblader curl the whip and place it on his belt.

"Can you even walk, instructor?" asked Squall.

"I'm fine." Quistis clutched her numb arm, wanting to stop her shiver. She had goose bumps all over her body. Any contact on her skin stung. "I probably can't help you two for now."

"It's okay," said Zell. "We'll cover you, instructor." He pulled out a slim box from his pocket. The metal box had a sculpted golden rose on the cover and locked on the side with a tiny padlock. "Is this yours?"

Quistis took the box away from Zell. "Yes. Thank you."

Squall stared at the slim box. "…You play Cards?"

Quistis leant down and tucked the box into her right high boot. "Sometimes."

Zell watched Squall's face. "This isn't the right time."

Squall frowned. "For what?"

"To ask her to play Card with you," Zell said. "Come on, Squall, let's just get out of here first."

Squall looked like he was going to say something, but Quistis had paced out of the room ahead of the two. Glaring at the blond boy, Squall followed Quistis out.

Zell tapped Squall's shoulder. "Didn't you come here as Laguna in the 'dream world'?"

"...No."

Quistis turned slightly towards them. "So you don't know how to get out, either."

"Well... Either way," Zell muttered. "We kept goin' up and up. I think we better head back down."

Quistis made her way up. "It'd be a pain to go down every floor. The alarm alerted monsters and security guards everywhere."

Squall tailed the woman up. He watched her body shiver and was unsure if he should say something. In the centre of the hall, Squall observed a large machine hung over the round pit.

"Whoa!" Zell shouted. "What's this?"

"It's like a crane that can carry a detachable cell from downstairs." Squall looked down the pit. His capsule was a few levels below, tucked safely in the slot with another capsule cells. If Zell didn't make it in time, he might have been in another place, unreachable.

"Oh, so this big hole goes all the way to the bottom." Zell looked down. "So if we jump ALL the way down, we're outta here."

Quistis leant on the pit fence. "Go ahead if you want to be squashed like a pancake."

"Oh yeah!" Zell pushed himself from the fence. "I remember now! We can move this arm by using the panel above and the control room. I remember Ward doing this. But we need to operate them both at the same time. Someone needs to stay upstairs and control the panel..." Quistis patted Zell on the shoulder. "...Me? F-Fine... I'll give you instructions from upstairs. Everyone get inside."

Quistis ambled in, followed by Squall. She looked around the room. Panels lined up in front of them.

"So, this is the arm control room..." she mumbled.

"Yo," Zell said through the speaker. "Can you guys hear me?"

Squall studied the panel. "So, what do we do?"

"Press the red button on the main panel."

Squall pressed the button. Quistis leant on the wall next to him.

"I'll take care of the rest... There!"

The room shook. Squall held on to the panel as the control room descended. He looked at Quistis. She closed her eyes and leant her head on the wall.

"Are you ok?" Squall asked.

"Fine."

"You're not."

Quistis peeked at him through hazy eyes. "I'm well enough to get out. Don't worry about me."

Squall turned his eyes to the panel. "Why did you cover me?"

Quistis glanced up. The floor where Zell was on was above them. She could see it through glass ceilings. "It was on orders."

Squall scrunched his brow and looked at his Instructor. "…Who told you to?"

The chamber stopped. They were on the bottom of the prison. Quistis pushed herself off the wall and peeked out of the chamber. "There's a door," she said. She walked into a long tunnel.

Squall trailed not far behind. Quistis was already on the door at the end of the tunnel, trying to pull it open. She groaned when her arms shook and the door handle didn't turn. Squall reached out, pushed her hands away and twisted the handle. He pulled the door open and stepped back when gushes of sand entered the tunnel.

"Sand...?"

Quistis looked at the clogged door. "Buried...? You mean we're underground? In any case, we can't get out from here..."

Squall heard gunfire above their tunnel.

Quistis listened. "Gunfire?"

"Sounds pretty bad..." Squall mumbled. His eyes widened and he turned to Quistis.

"Let's get back!" Quistis said. "Quick!"

-x-

-x-

"There he is! Over there! Seize the escapee, dead or alive!"

_I'm outta here!_ Running down from the control panel floor, Zell ducked and sprinted over the guards, charging one down and wrestling another onto the floor. The last standing guard punched him in the face. "Ugh!"

"You bastard!" said the guard, raining punches over the blond.

Tired and on the floor shielding his head from the beatings, Zell heard a creak over the pit. The chamber rose, Squall barged out from it, his gunblade raised high. The sword cut down the warden as the man was about to pull his trigger. Squall kicked the guard away.

"Didn't think he'd go down that easy…" the gunblader said.

"Squall!" Zell hopped and wrapped his arms around his savior. "Thanks, man!"

"W-What?" Squall struggled. "Let go. I said, let go!"

Quistis stirred out from the chamber in a much slower pace. "Nice teamwork. You're so important to your Captain, Zell."

Squall scowled while Zell beamed. A bullet grazed his ear and he ducked. "Ahhh!"

All three crouched and crawled behind the chamber as bullets flew above them. Quistis sighed, massaging her temple while Squall checked on his gunblade, and wiped the blood out.

"There's no way we can get outta here," said Zell. "There're three of us and… I don't know… how many guards in here?"

"Six hundred and fifty one," Quistis said. "Where's Irvine?"

"I think he never got here," Zell whispered through the sound of gunfire. "I mean, I only saw you two get pushed into other vans."

"Who shackled you up that wall?" asked Squall.

"You guess."

"Emil."

Quistis made a bell-like voice in the back of her throat. "He's working for the sorceress now."

"Emil who?" Zell was confused.

Quistis's ears detected the familiar sound. She smiled when two shots fired from a recognizable weapon behind the fence.

"Argh!"

"Ugh!"

Squall listened. He twisted his body and peeked above the fence when the gunfire stopped.

Irvine strode down the stairs, his hand on his Valiant. A foot from above sending him tumbled down the stairs.

"Stop acting like a hero, you damn Snipe!" A Deling City guard walked down. He looked at the trio hiding behind the fence. "There they are."

Selphie showed up behind the Deling guard. "Squally! Zelly!" She hopped down the stairs, jumped over Irvine and ran towards them.

The Deling guard removed his hat and sighed. "Finally."

Quistis narrowed her eyes. "Seifer?"

Seifer tied his hat to his belt. "You have a lot to explain to me, Instructor," he said. "Back to Balamb my ass."

Quistis rolled her eyes. She stood up. Irvine walked over to her and pulled her into his embrace.

"Thought I'd never see you again," Irvine mumbled.

"I'm always fine, Irv." Quistis patted the sniper's shoulder. She didn't see Squall frown and look at them. Squall glanced at Seifer, then to the pair still holding each other's hand.

Zell pulled away from Selphie's hug. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Saving your daft skull, of course," Seifer said. "If you two done snuggling each other, let's just get a move on!" he snapped towards Irvine and Quistis.

Irvine dropped Quistis's hands. "Anyhow, now's our chance to run."

Squall stared at him. Questions filled his mind; nothing was about their escape path. "The basement door is buried in sand."

"Of course it is." Irvine didn't seem surprised. "This place is buried underground."

"Buried?"

"That's right. This prison is..."

"There they are!" A shout came from the stairs. "It's the escapees!"

Everyone ran and huddled behind the pit fence as Irvine returned fire.

"Squall!" Irvine shouted over the noise. "You take those who can fight and head on up. I'll hold'em here."

"Up?"

"Don't have time to explain now! The exit's up there, trust me."

Squall looked around. "... Ok. Quistis, Zell and…"

"Are you kidding me?" Seifer said. "I know the way, you dumb fool. She's injured!" Seifer jerked a thumb towards Quistis's bloody suit.

"I think it's better for the Instructor not to run around much," Selphie added. "Once we find the way out, we can call them up."

"I'm tired, Squall." Zell waved his hand. "They don't feed me. It's been over twelve hours and I don't have anything in my system."

Quistis, who was insistent in keeping strong earlier, leant against Irvine as he returned the shot. "I better stay here."

Squall stared at her, incredulous. "You said you're fine."

Seifer watched the gunblader with mouth agape. Selphie grabbed his arm, stopping him from snapping.

"Seif," Selphie said. "Can you give her Curaga or something?"

"Huh? Oh." Seifer reached and grabbed Quistis' hand. "I got a few. Don't waste it on anyone."

Quistis weakly nodded as the magic flowed between them. "Thanks." She raised her free hand to Squall. "My whip."

Squall gazed down to the leather curled on his belt. "You can't use them anyway."

Quistis gritted her teeth. "My. Whip."

Seifer released Quistis' hand. "Okay. Got a few Firaga and Esuna in there, just in case. How long have you been injured?"

Quistis huffed and looked up. "…A day."

Seifer sighed. "You're gonna need a real medic once we get out."

Selphie took the whip out of Squall's belt and gave it to the owner. She nudged Squall. "Come on. Hurry!" She sprinted out of their hiding, darting upstairs.

Squall looked away from Seifer and Quistis. He studied the soldiers on the stairway leading down before dashing out and running up the steps. Seifer nodded to Quistis before pursuing behind the brunet.

Irvine sat down, Quistis and Zell next to him. "My turn to boogie now."

"Got anything to eat?" Zell asked. "I'm so hungry."

Irvine drew a small pack of crackers from his vest pocket. Zell beamed.

"Careful." Quistis watched Zell tore open the packet. "That thing's probably a few years old."

"Hey, it's only a year out from the expiration date!" Irvine said. The blond boy chomped down on the crackers. The packet was soon empty, and the boy tried to eat the crumbs stuck in the corner of the plastic.

Rains of bullets flying above them were infinite. After his third boxes of ammo, Irvine sat down and moaned, "Oh, man, this is endless!"

"So what do we do?" Quistis asked. "…I got an idea! Can't we go up again with the arm?"

Irvine looked towards the chamber in front of them. All they had to do was jump into it. "Hey, good idea."

"But they gotta operate it from that room upstairs," Zell said.

"Leave that to me," Irvine said. "Alright! Let's hop on!"

-x-

-x-

Squall saw the sky, vast above them. He hopped up the stairs. They were on top of the prison, red steel bars forming rusty walls around them and a long bridge leading to another structure up ahead.

Selphie bounced up and down next to him. "We're outside! We escaped! We escaped!"

**-Prisoners may not go beyond this point. You will be terminated.-**

Seifer rolled his sore shoulders. "So what are they gonna do now? We're here already."

Squall saw soldiers running to them from the bridge. One soldier and two machines rushed towards them. "They're coming!"

"Come closer, come closer…" Selphie mumbled. "Yeah! Ifrit! Hell Fire! Diablos! Do whatever you want!" She crouched on the floor as the beings materialized above her.

**_Do whatever I want? Really?_**

…**Hell Fire. Right. I need another move.**

"Let's see… machine, huh." Seifer summoned a ball of Water and threw it to one of the machines. It creaked as the Water sphere swallowed it. Bio materialized from another hand, and the tall blond threw it to the soldier.

"Hey Squall," Irvine's voice sounded from above. Squall looked up and saw a speaker attached to the wall. "Can you hear me? There should be a control panel near the top."

Selphie stood up and spun to them. "Done! Come on, guys!"

Squall looked at the three enemies lying down on the bridge.

_Practical._ He spun and walked down the stairs. In the corner of the room, he saw a console and a speaker.

"Hey! Hey, you guys!" Irvine's voice resonated from the speaker.

"Is this what you were talking about?" said Quistis over the speaker. "What if Squall and the others have already gone ahead?"

Squall headed to the console and pressed the COMM button. "I can hear you."

"See!" Irvine said. "I told you we'd be alright. Squall, go ahead and operate the arm."

"How?"

Zell said, "Squall, push the yellow button on your upper right hand side."

_Is this it?_ Squall saw the button and pushed it down.

Irvine cheered. "Alrighty! We'll be there in like a second. Wait right there."

Zell muttered, "Hey... Is it supposed to move this slow?"

Quistis chuckled. "Sure takes a while, doesn't it?"

"So what?" Irvine said. "What's the rush?"

"Come on, don't waste any time!" said Seifer from the stairs. He was upstairs with Selphie, didn't even bother to follow Squall down.

Squall had plenty of questions in his mind. When he woke up in his capsule and had time to think, he wondered why Quistis was there, at that square. Why did she protect him? Why didn't she just run away? Why did she have to hide from them, and why did nobody know that she's in the mission as well? Seifer thought she was going to Balamb. Zell didn't even realize Quistis was there. And Irvine… Irvine seemed to know. He hid something.

The way he hugged Quistis, it was like hugging a very intimate friend. Squall had to admit he never hugged anyone that way. Probably Zell had hugged him the way Irvine did, but he didn't remember. He didn't enjoy being that intimate. He thought Quistis was the same way, the way she refused his help in that room. Yet she seemed content to hug the sniper, and didn't even mind holding his hands. She did it in front of Seifer.

Squall had waited for Seifer to snap and yell at them for doing that in front of him. He didn't seem to be livid because of what happened between the Instructor and the sniper. If anything, Seifer was in a hurry to get out.

The more he thought about this, the more questions he added to his mental list.

On the rooftop, Squall saw Selphie and Seifer already running halfway across the bridge. Seifer glanced back and saw him.

"Come on! Hurry, hurry!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Squall sprinted towards his teammates. Nice, why did he even bother to bring that arrogant blond along? Now even Selphie didn't bother to wait for her Captain any—

"Squall!" Selphie shouted.

Squall reached out with his hands when the bridge under him gave way. The bridge parted in the middle, both structures hauled each side of its bridge back into their chains. Squall held on to the bottom of the bridge, feet dangling precariously over the air. The structures shuffled away from each other at a slow pace, leaving the gunblader hanging for his life.

"Squall!" Selphie crouched on the safe floorboards ahead of the bridge. Seifer stood next to her, hand on the railings, eyes scanning his surroundings.

"Get in here!" Seifer shouted. "Use your hands! Get in here, hurry!"

Squall reached out to the far bottom bar with his outstretched hand, and started swinging under the bridge towards the pair. Having his Shear Trigger clanging on his boots when he swung didn't help any. Selphie cheered him on and Seifer extended his hand to the bottom surface of the bridge. Once he managed to grasp the blond man's hand, Seifer heaved Squall up at an odd angle, knocking his shoulder and the side of his head against the metal bridge. He landed on the floorboards, aching hands and headache the least of his worries. He lay on the tile, breathing hard and staring at the sky.

"Shit, you weighed a ton." Seifer sat next to him, massaging his arm.

"Are you okay?" Selphie kneeled next to Squall, checking his head. Squall batted her hand away. "Good. You're snappy, so you're fine."

Squall glared at the girl. She stood and pulled the chuckling Seifer up. The structure they were on now lowered itself to the ground, level by level buried into the sand. The top they were on now only a few feet above the ground.

"Come on in," said Selphie to Squall. "I saw cars inside. We can use them."

Squall turned to the structure they left earlier. The pillar of the prison was now a short tower in the distance. Three small-stick figures waved to them from the top of the tower.

"I wanna ride the yellow one!" Selphie exclaimed inside the garage.

"Yo, Prince Pouty!" called Seifer from the room. "You can use the blue one to pick up the kids. We're gonna head to the train station. Meet you there!"

-x-

-x-

When would be the right time to bring up the question?

Squall glanced to the back seat. Quistis was sleeping behind him. Zell hummed and drummed on his own thighs next to her. Irvine was driving. Squall didn't want to ask about Quistis' orders in front of this many people. Maybe later.

Irvine stopped the car. Squall turned and saw Selphie and Seifer on the roof of the parked yellow car. Selphie waved.

"Took you guys a long time," Seifer greeted them when the four got out of their car. Quistis paced slowly towards the yellow car.

"I have news for you," she said. "The sorceress is about to launch missiles at Garden."

"What?" Zell shouted.

Seifer stared at her in surprise. "Where did you hear this?" he demanded.

"It's official," Irvine said. "I heard that from my—source. There's an official form to light up the missiles."

Squall studied Irvine's face. _Source?_ "The only thing we can do now is go back to Garden as soon as possible and warn the students. Alright, let's get in the car and go."

Selphie shook her head. "They're targeting both Balamb and Trabia Gardens! We have to interfere with the launch! We have to stop the missiles!" She hopped down the car roof. "I just transferred from Trabia Garden! I can't just sit around knowing that Trabia Garden is in danger! So Squall, please! Decide who's gonna go to the Galbadia Missile Base, before it's too late!"

_It's easier said than done... What if something happens to the people I choose...?_

"Why did he have to decide?" Seifer said. "I'm not in his command. I'm free to go wherever I want."

"Despite being a criminal," Zell added.

"Shut up, whiny. I'm going to the base and shut down those missiles." Seifer jumped down from the roof.

"You're the leader, Squall." Quistis said, watching the brunet. "What are the teams?"

_Leader? I never asked to be the leader._

"I'm going with Seifer!" said Selphie. "Sorry, Captain, but I have to turn off the missiles before they blow up my home!"

Squall shrugged. "…Do whatever you want."

"Can't you just cut her off from your mission?" Seifer asked. "That Timber Owl mission you still have?"

"…Can't. The mission lasts until Timber's independence." Squall watched Seifer turn around and mumble, 'fucking headmaster'. "But she's free to go with you."

"Thank you, Squall!" said Selphie.

"If we're talking about free," Seifer said, looking at Quistis. "Instructor isn't in your team either. She doesn't have to follow you."

Squall straightened his back. "No," he said. "She needs medical attention. I'm taking her back to Balamb."

"I can get myself to Balamb well enough," Quistis countered. "Thanks for the concern."

"I didn't mean that," Squall said. "You're free to go wherever you want once you get the wounds checked out."

Quistis glared at him. "I'm free to go wherever I want now."

Zell looked up when he saw a shooting star. In the middle of the day… no, that was…

"The missile!" he shouted. Everyone looked up.

"I... heard they were hitting Trabia first," said Irvine. "And then Balamb."

"Trabia..." Selphie whispered. She crouched down and covered her face. "... That was a miss... right...? Squall, we have to go! I'm leaving!" she shouted and ran towards the car. "Let's go, Seifer!"

"Zell, you go with them," Squall said.

"Oh, hell no," Seifer declared. "Aside from the whole personal thing, he's in your Timber Owl mission. You better go and finish that thing before we get back."

"And how are we gonna liberate Timber with the whole missiles stuff going on?" probed Zell.

"That's your problem."

"Rich, Bully Boy."

"Thank you, Hot Doggy."

"Not to break this amusing chat, but…" Irvine said, "I'm from Galbadia, Squall, remember? I know where the base is, I know how to get in and I know some codes. I can be a much better asset for them than Zell."

Quistis reached for Irvine's arm and held it. "Just go to Balamb," she said. "We need to report to him."

Irvine grimaced. "Report's a report, but after that where do I go?"

Squall stared at Quistis' hand on Irvine's arm. He turned and said, "Fine. Irvine, you go."

"Whaa…?" Zell watched Irvine pass him, to Selphie's car. "Squall, what are you thinking? Two guys like that's gonna ruin everything!"

Squall ignored him. "Selphie, do you have some kind of plan?"

Selphie looked out from the driver seat. "I think if we take this Galbadian army vehicle, we should be able to make it inside the base. I'll have to think of the rest once we're inside. There isn't much time! You better hurry to Balamb Garden!"

"See you at Balamb Garden." Squall watched as the rest of Selphie's team filed into the car. Selphie expertly spun the yellow car around and sped up towards Galbadia.

-x-

-x-

* * *

**_To be continued…_**

* * *

-x-

-x-

Author's Notes: Sometimes when I wrote a long stuff like this, I have some ideas that I think will fit either the epic or good enough for one shot. Should I just write some of them into one shot? Then what do I do, claiming it's part of the Three Minutes story? Wonder if anyone's gonna read that, knowing not everyone read this. They'll be so mightily confused with things not so canon, hahaha.

Quistis' whip: I know it's chains, not leather. Just wait, there's an explanation for this in later chapter :)


	24. How Did They Fight In This Thing?

**Chapter 24**

**How Did They Fight In This Thing?**

* * *

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"HEY STOP!"

Zell chuckled. He waved the soldier's wallet up in the air while leaning on the railings. There was no way that man could run after them now that they're safe up in the moving train. Quistis crouched beside the boy, eyes closed, sweaty forehead against the bar. Their escape was nothing short of dramatic, with Zell swiping a lone soldier's wallet in the station to pay for their tickets. Squall was the one jumping into the train and pulled Quistis up while Zell toyed with his furious victim. In the end, Zell was the last to hop aboard while tempting the man, who now had no way to board the train or to pay for the upcoming ticket.

"S-Stop the train!" the soldier screamed. His legs buckled and he fell onto the tracks. "ERRAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Squall watched Quistis sway into the cabin. He followed behind and waited for Zell to enter, while the woman lay on the train seat. She covered her eyes with her arm, teeth clenching. Squall crouched in front of her, reaching and holding her arm. He lifted the arm and observed her unsteady gaze.

"Are you OK?"

Quistis closed her eyes again. Her chapped lips opened but no sound came out.

"They stole our wallets, so it's a payback!" Zell shut the cabin door. He stopped in the middle, staring at Squall and Quistis. "What're you guys doing?"

Quistis pulled her arm away from Squall and covered her eyes. Zell tilted his head and walked closer.

"Come to think 'bout it, Instructor," he said. "I thought you used that black bodysuit-thing during the assassination. How'd you changed into this usual suit of yours in the prison?"

Quistis took a few breaths before she answered, "I wore this under that."

"…Huh." Zell pushed Squall out of the way and sat on the seat across from Quistis.

Squall watched Quistis's increasingly pale face under her arm, and down at his rejected hand. He raised his hand and after a moment of hesitation, placed it on her moist cheek. Then he jerked his hand as fast as he can. "You're burning up."

"Really?" Zell pulled Quistis's arm from her face and checked her forehead. "Aw, man… something's wrong."

Quistis didn't bother swatting the boy's hand.

Squall had an idea what was wrong, but he wondered if she'd pull away again if he insisted to check her chest wound. Dried blood had darkened her orange suit, and he could see a gap in the suit, the place where blizzard had pierced her, the deadly element meant for him.

Quistis opened her eyes, her free hand reached and patted the wound under her suit. "Zell," she said, "can you help me checking my wound?" She didn't see Squall balk at that.

"Me?" Zell peered at Squall's expression. "Yeah, sure, but uh, how?"

Since they left the prison, only now Quistis looked at Squall. "Would you mind leaving us?"

Squall's eyes hardened. "I can do first aid better than Zell. I'm also better at curative magic. He doesn't even have Curaga."

"Hey, you only have one Curaga!" Zell placed his hand on his hip. "Why'd it matter if I check her wound anyway? I've seen Ma naked." He frowned. "Uh, I'm not supposed to mention that…"

"Precisely because you've seen a woman naked," said Quistis. "I'm much more comfortable if you help me." _Rather than Squall_, hung in the air.

His teeth grinding against each other, Squall clenched his jaw and turned to the door. Once the door opened under his yank, he left the room.

"I always knew he's weird, but he's getting worse lately," said Zell. He crouched in front of Quistis. "So, uh… let's strip you…Wait, that's not supposed to sound like that."

Quistis already pulled down her suit with her shaky hands. "The pain's getting worse."

"Why didn't you say anything in the prison?" Zell removed his gloves and grimaced at the sight of her blackened flesh. "…That's not good."

Quistis glanced to her chest and sighed. "We need to get out of there as soon as we can." She flinched when Zell fingered the loose flesh around the dried blood wrapping the wound as big as his fist. The pain shot up to her neck, and she tried to stop the further throbbing up her temple by breathing as deep as she could. It didn't help.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the soldier said. He tried to wipe his nose under the helmet. "Sorry, must be sand allergy or something."

"That's nasty," said the checkpoint guard. Deciding he wouldn't get any of the questionable goo recently flying up all over the air, he stepped closer to the jeep. The soldier sitting beside the sneezing driver shook his head. The smaller soldier sitting behind the driver seat tilted the full helmet to the driver. "Alright, go ahead."

_Really? Phew..._

"That was one impressive sneezing fit," said the soldier sitting next to the driver as he steered the jeep into the parking lot of the missile base.. "Someone must be missing you so much."

"Or loathing you so much," said the smaller soldier, knowing the driver would scowl under the helmet. He did glare at her behind the full helmet.

Following his team, the driver hopped out when he heard the announcement.

**-Following the launch on Trabia Garden, prepare for the launch on Balamb Garden. All personnel, take your positions.-**

_Ewwww... This uniform is so itchy and smelly!_ Unable to scratch anything under the uniform, the smallest soldier gave up and waved for the others to group. "So, listen! We have to stop the missiles! If there's a door, we go in! If there's anything we can break, we break! And in the end, we blow this place to smithereens!"

The slim soldier nodded. "Hey, Selphie. I like your attitude. Let's do it up!"

"Don't just go ahead and do whatever she says," said the driver. "It'll always get worse when someone agrees with her."

Selphie bounced under the uniform. "Let's get a move on!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"OK… I might not know much, but I'll say this is infected." Zell stopped from further touching the injury. "I can't do anything. We don't even have sterile gloves. Dr. K.'s our best bet." He rummaged his pocket and showed the vials he obtained in the prison. "I don't know what these are. Probably they can help?"

Recognizing the vials from colour, Quistis looked away. "The red one is Strength up. It's supposed to enhance your power, but only slightly. The white one is for renaming your GF."

"Oh." Zell pocketed the vials. "Sorry. Can't do much then. Do you want Cura?"

"Cast Sleep on me." Quistis pulled up her suit.

"What? Why?" Zell noticed the small silver chain hanging on Quistis's neck. "Wait, wait!"

"So I can sleep."

"No, no! That's…" Zell grabbed her necklace. "This is mine! How… this is mine!"

Quistis recoiled from the pull. She clenched her fist around Zell's wrist. "What are you talking about? This is mine."

"It's my family heirloom!" Zell pulled the necklace, lifting Quistis's head. "I lost it in Timber, but this is mine! How come you have it?"

"I don't get what you're talking about." Quistis pushed Zell away. He didn't even budge. "Seifer gave it to me. It's mine."

"Sei—that jerk! I knew it! This is mine, Instructor!" Zell didn't want to release his hold on his family heirloom. "Ma gave it to me before our mission. Please give it back to me."

Piercing agony accompanying her every move, Quistis had no more fire to fight the pull. But she wouldn't lose the only beautiful thing given to her that weren't books from the Trepies. "Seifer gave it to me," she said, barely an angry whisper. "If you want it back, ask Seifer so he'll take it away from me." _Good luck with that._

"Wh—I don't have to ask Seifer to get back something that is always mine!"

"But it's mine. It's a present and I don't want to lose it."

"You don't get it! I'm supposed to give it to my future wife!"

"Stop screaming," said Squall from the door. He saw Quistis's head dangle in a form of chokehold by Zell. "What are you doing!" he said in his stride, his voice at the same level of Zell's. He pulled Zell's arm away from Quistis. Zell refused to release his hold on his necklace. "Zell! Are you crazy?"

"Squall!" Zell turned his begging eyes at his friend. "You remember this necklace, right? Ma gave it to me! Remember?"

Squall frowned and studied the object of argument below him. "So?"

"Tell Instructor to give it back to me!"

Quistis still had her head up, despite how bad she wanted to lie down. "Seifer gave it to me. If you want to get it back, ask him first."

The frown formed in the middle of Squall's forehead smoothed, slight vein appeared on both sides of his temples instead. "It is Zell's necklace. You have to give it back to him." He pushed Zell's hand away. "Don't treat an injured person like this."

"But…" Zell released his grip. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

Quistis placed her necklace under her suit and zipped her clothes up. She lay down and turned her head to the seat, ignoring both men.

"Quistis," said Squall.

"As I said," Quistis replied, "this is from Seifer. If you want to get it back, talk to him."

"What the hell!" Zell sat on the floor. "Why are you so adamant about his present anyway?"

"Because he's her boyfriend."

"Say WHAT!" Zell's eyes bulged. "What… why… how…"

Quistis rolled her eyes. So there was still that thing she had said, and apparently Squall recalled it.

"That bastard!" Zell screamed. "He plays Selphie and Rinoa! He plays with you too, Instructor!" Zell stood and waved his hands to Squall, who now listened to his every word. "He dated Rinoa before our Timber mission! Now he's out with Selphie! He's with Instructor at the Garden! That bastard!" Zell didn't care why Squall's shoulders tensed up. "That man dates all the girls in our team!"

"Is this true?" asked the gunblader, grabbing Zell's forearm to stop the boy from flailing his fists all over the place.

"Of course it's true! Rinoa herself said that Seifer's her boyfriend in the G-Garden! Then you see how Selphie sat on his lap in the station!" Zell pointed to Quistis's neck. "I don't understand why you want to keep something from a three-timer!" The martial artist jerked his arm from Squall's grip, spun on his heels and left the cabin, door banging on his departure.

_**S**__quall, are you okay__**?**_Carbuncle whispered.

_Shut up._

_**M**__y bed is up in flames__**!**_Carbuncle said_. __**W**__hy's it's so hot all of a sudden__**?**_

-**Shush-** Shiva said.

Squall swallowed, words dancing up in the air above his head. He struggled to capture a few of them to form the right sentence. Several versions were formed, all thrown out. Nothing seemed correct.

_**I**__'m melting__**!**_ Carbuncle screamed. _**H**__ot! Hot! Help__**! **_

While Shiva created a gentler version of Blizzaga for the crying green thing, Squall finally captured some words to put through his lips. He wasn't sure it was the right one, but he needed to fill the awkward silence. He wasn't used to be the one stopping the quiet.

"Quistis," he said, "It's Zell's necklace. You need to return it to him. He owns it, not Seifer."

Quistis shifted slightly.

"And after what Zell said, I don't see why you have to keep anything given by someone… like that." Funny, how his body felt lighter when he said it instead of just thinking about it. "He's not worth your loya—"

"Leonhart."

_Leonhart?_ "What?"

"What's above me right now?"

Squall glanced up. "A wall?"

"Talk to it."

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

Two guards under the stairs noticed the three soldiers entering the maintenance room. It was hard not to, with all the sands on their shadowy uniform and two of the soldiers being so tall while the one walking in front was so short. The tallest of them had a giant gunblade on his hip holster, the slim one had a rifle on his back and the little one had a Nunchaku. A bunch of unconventional weapon users, these new kids.

"Hey, there! You three!" One of the guards waved to the soldiers. "Come here!" The three soldiers looked at each other before walking to them. "Listen, we're busy maintaining this area, we haven't got time for this, so could you deliver a message for us? Tell the guys by the missile launcher to go on ahead, and that we'll catch up with' em later. Thanks a lot. We really appreciate it."

Hand gripping the pen on top of the maintenance pad, the other guard nodded his affirmation without looking at the three dust-covered soldiers. "Thanks."

The shortest of three nodded and left the room. Two others followed.

"So anyone got a clue where's this missile room is?" asked the tallest of them.

"It's usually on top. It's a missile base after all," said the slim soldier, following their small leader running up the stairs.

"Ever been here?"

"I heard stuff."

"Speaking of which, who's the source you're talking about, the one who knows about that formal order?"

"He's a SeeD. I think he's in the Dollet test with you two?"

Entering a room with several giant missiles, the small soldier approached a guy standing in the middle of the room. He was writing something on a pad and watching a missile being loaded into a portable rack.

"S'cuse me, sir... I have a message for you..."

The maintenance soldier barely gave them a glance. "Well, what is it?"

"Um… It's about inspecting the circuit room. The maintenance team said they were free, so they're gonna go on ahead."

"Wait. Was that what they said?" the tallest soldier whispered.

"Oh, ok." The maintenance soldier didn't look up. "But I'm still not done here, you know... Could you tell them I can't go yet? Thanks, I appreciate it."

"So round and round we go," said the slim soldier when they left the room.

"So you mean Ni… I mean, your source, he can contact you?" asked the tall soldier.

"We got PCS, of course he can contact me. Speaking of which, where's your MONO?"

"In the barracks, I think. They got our wallet and money too."

Returning to the other maintenance crew several levels down, the small soldier said to the waiting crew, "They said they were too busy to go, too."

"Geez..." The guard looked at his friend. "What do we do?"

The friend still didn't look up from his pad. "Guess we have no choice but to go..."

The soldier grunted. "Alright..." He turned to the three soldiers. "Can we ask you to go?"

"What? Hey, that's not cool! What if the base commander finds out?"

"Ahh, it'll be fine. All we do is go and make sure everything is up and running, anyway."

The guard seemed to consider his friend's words. "Well, I hope you're right..."

"So, that's that." His friend peered at the three soldiers. "We're counting on you."

The smallest soldier brightened up. She saluted. "Yes, sir!"

_Whoo-hoo! Blow the place to smithereens!_

Exiting the room, the team ran up the stairs and exited the door when they first entered the base. On the right to their door, a guard was standing, guarding another door.

The small soldier stopped in front of the guard and said, "Hey. The maintenance team asked us to take their place with the inspection."

The guard relaxed his stance. "Oh, really? Then I guess my shift is over... I'm gonna call my relief. Go ahead with the inspection." He moved out of the way and left.

Behind the door was a room filled with panel and circuits. The small soldier observed the biggest console screen.

_This must be control panel, but I'm not sure what to do..._

"I'm not sure what to do so," said the small soldier to her team, "I'll just press whatever!" She turned and pressed anything she could get her hands on.

"…Are you sure this is the right way?" asked the slim soldier.

"So there's a right way to blow this base up?" the tall soldier said, crossing his arms.

The small soldier stopped and waited for any response.

_That's strange... Nothing happened. ...Maybe I should try again._

"Destroy everything!" said the small soldier, raising her hands and smashing anything on the console. The two soldiers backed off.

"Um… uh…" the slim soldier stammered. He raised his hand, thought about it, and stepped back even more.

"Giving up now? Told you not to agree with her," the tall soldier said.

A flash of electricity sparked from the console, and the room went dark.

"Huh?" the small soldier said. "Heeey... The lights went out..."

The tall soldier's voice heard in the darkness. "And you're surprised because…?"

**-Electrical System Malfunction. Maintenance Team: Investigate Immediately. -**

The slim soldier's voice heard, "It would look really bad if they found us here... We should leave this room now."

"Alright!" the small soldier said. She turned to the door and ran out. "NEXT!"

Outside the room, she skidded to a halt, almost hitting a maintenance crew who just arrived. Two more of the crew appeared.

"Hey, you!" a crew said to her. "What's going on here!"

_...Ahh, man... Really bad timing... _"We were just about to go call on you!"

"Alright, then. Let us take care of it!" The three maintenance crew ran into the room.

The small soldier re-entered the room, one heel up in the air, blindly meeting anything in the darkness. "BOOYAKA!".

"H-Hey!" She hit someone's armour. Whoever she hit fell on the floor. "W-What are you doing!" She ran and jumped to the body on the floor, leaped and stomped on the man repeatedly. "Aaah!" She tramped a fleshy part, probably the neck.

A clang sounded on her right, and another voice sounded, "AHHHHH! W-Who are you...?"

A thud on her left. "Ughhh... Damn it..."

The body under her made no more noise.

"Anyone hurt?" she asked.

"If I say yes, can I retire to the jeep now?" said the tall soldier on her right.

"Hit my greaves on his gunblade when you ran out," said the slim soldier. "Luckily it's only my greaves. If I hit that thing in the middle—"

"Good!" said the small soldier. "Let's go!"

"Any clue where we're actually going?" asked the tall soldier.

"Nope!" the small soldier said, entering the door next to the dark room, back to the stairways.

Downstairs, the hall was empty, so was the console on the far end that had a guard standing nearby earlier. The three soldiers headed to the console when the missile room door opened and a guard walked out.

"Hey!" He stopped the three strangers. "You! Haven't seen you around before..."

_What to do...? What to do...?_ Trying to play it cool, the small soldier shrugged. "So what is it?"

"Well, we need some help in here. I guess it doesn't really matter who... Do you think you could lend a hand?" Seeing the nod, the guard motioned them to enter. "This way. Follow me. Unbelievable... Power failure at a crucial time like this? What the heck are those maintenance guys doing...?"

The tall soldier suppressed his groan when he saw several guards push a giant silo with manual strength. The slim soldier was already shaking his head, but followed suit when the small soldier threw a glare at them.

"Huh?" The small soldier tilted her head, as if listening to something. "Really? There?" She walked to the left side of the room and crouched down. Something glimmered in her palm. "Wow, you're right, Ifrit," she whispered. "It's Full-Life. This should come in handy."

"Yeah, that's the one." The guard pointed to the empty side of the silo and the spot between two men already soaking their armour, both had their helmets off. "All right, 1 in between the 2 guys, and 2 on either side." He nodded seeing the soldiers in position. "Good. Now push! Push!"

"Eaaargh!" groaned the slim soldier, pushing with his shoulder.

"Shit I do today…" said the tall soldier next to him.

"Yeowch! Don't step on me!" said the small soldier between the two guards.

"Are you actually of any help at all?" a man on her left shot back.

"I am helpful, if only you lift your boot from my foot _now_!"

"Shut up and push!" said the guard watching them.

"To the left! To the left!" said the slim soldier. "Come on, that side, give us some power!"

"If I knew this is what military entails…" said the tall soldier.

"This is nothing. Last week," said the man on the right of the small soldier between his grunts, "a sorceress wanted us to go find a guardian thing called Bahamut."

The tall soldier tilted his helmet. "Really?"

"I don't see anything moving!" said the waiting guard, this time he was crouching and watching the bottom of the silo. "Not even a thing!"

"Well come here and I'll show you what I can move right away!" the tall soldier shouted. "Otherwise, shut up!"

Heels slipping under her, the small soldier stayed up by holding on to the silo and kept pushing.

"So back to that Bahamut," said the tall soldier to the man on the right side. "You guys got it?"

"Well we got to the base, that underwater thing. And hell if that beast didn't wipe out almost fifty of my mates!" the man said. "Forget it. I'm not gonna waste my life on that monster just to make a witch happy."

"Push it, guys," said the guard, now crossing his arms. "Not talk it!"

"You push it!" said the man on the small soldier's left. "What are you doing, you numbskull? We don't need a supervisor, you sack of—"

"Hey…" The slim soldier could feel the slight move. "Yeah! Yeah!"

"It works!" said the small soldier. "Yay! Push!"

The silo shifted, little by little, into the slot. The guards and the three soldiers carefully moved the silo and placed it right in the middle.

"Day of my life," said the tall soldier massaging his shoulder. He nodded to his team and made his way out when he heard the guard call them.

"Hey, wait! Good work. All we need to do now is confirm the coordinates on the control panel. The program should be ready to go. You guys get on it."

The small soldier perked up. _Heeey! The control panel! Now we're talkin'!_

The team headed to the control panel. The slim soldier watched the console in front of him. "So like... let's just bust it up."

"A few minutes and already you forget what happened with the last panel," said the tall soldier.

_Yeah, bust it up real good! But..._ The small soldier studied the buttons and switches in front of her. "It'll be a mega bummer if WE launch the missiles by mistake. So, should we hold back a little and just mess around with it a bit?" She adjusted the error ratio as high as she could, and uploaded the specification for the new coordinates.

"Put the coordinate way off the base," said the tall soldier. "Make it more than ten digits from the real one."

"Okay then." The small soldier finished the upload. "Let's go up and see if we can do anything else."

There was only one stairway they hadn't checked out at the base. A soldier was guarding it. He shook his head when the three walked near.

"This place is off-limits. You're not allowed up here."

_Not allowed… that means…_ "But we've come to report on the missile coordinate data," said the small soldier.

"Oh, very well. Go right ahead." The guard moved and let the three walked up. He stared at the small team leader who just left, and murmured, "Did we have someone that puny in our base...?"

**-Attention. This is the control room. We are now entering the final phase of the missile launch. Take your designated positions and prepare for the launch!-**

Hand on his report; eyes focused down on the desk, the big-built officer looked at them in surprise when the three walked into his room. "Huh? What are you doing in here?"

The tall soldier and the small soldier froze, studying the officer. Then they stared at each other before the small soldier saluted and replied, "We've come to report on the missile coordinates!"

Officer Biggs frowned and studied the smallest of the soldiers in front of him. "I thought you looked familiar. You're that kid in Dollet! No use hiding it now! That salute you just did was completely wrong!" He stood up fast, the chair rolled back hitting the control panels behind him.

"Ah well," said the tall soldier.

_Yikes...! Well, at least we made it this far. _Selphie pulled out a small bomb from her pocket. _It's about time we rumbled!_

"What are you doing?" shouted Biggs. "Ahhhhhh!"

The light flashed inside the room. The officer opened his eyes to see the team in front of him, sans the uniform.

"TA-DAH!" Selphie pulled out her Nunchaku. "Hooooo, finally. This military uniform is itchy, and it stinks! And hi there!"

"Dollet, and now this?" Seifer asked, "Did you happen to have a cousin named Deling or something?"

Irvine readied his rifle. "You three know each other?"

"I was working at Desert Prison too before one of you make me have to transfer here!" shouted Biggs. He pulled on the drawer in a panic, searching for something. "Where did Wedge store my machine gun?"

"That prison too? You got here way earlier," said Seifer, unsheathing Hyperion. "Roaches sure die hard."

"Hah! I have a better tactic than last time!" Biggs raised his hand and made a throwing motion at Irvine. "Eat that!"

Irvine blinked and stepped back. He shook his head and frowned. Then, he swayed and aimed his gun at Seifer.

"Hey! Hey stop that!" Seifer moved the mouth of the rifle away from his nose. "What did he cast on you?"

Unable to retrieve his machine gun, Biggs hid under the table when Selphie charged at him. He missed the Nunchaku just barely. Selphie jumped over the table and reached under it, only to have Biggs crawl out of the other end. He ran circles around the table with Selphie after him, thick bandages on both his feet burdened his run.

"Captain!" someone shouted from behind the door. Wedge entered and saw Biggs's face smashed by a Nunchaku. Biggs fell down. His eyes opened in stunned shock. "C-Captain…"

"Hey!" Seifer ducked and avoid the bullet shot from Irvine's unsteady aim. The bullet embedded in Wedge's shoulder. The soldier looked down in surprise and gazed up.

"Why…? What did we ever do to you?" he asked. Seifer raised his foot and kicked the soldier's stomach. When Wedge doubled over in pain, Seifer gifted his jaw with a heavy uppercut. The shocked private stumbled back, hit the wall and fainted.

Seifer stood up, sheathed his gunblade, wrenched the aimed rifle from Irvine's hand and slapped the sniper. "Wake up!"

Head jostling from the assault, Irvine toddled to the side. He shook his head and his eyes flickered. The purple orbs gained his steady gaze again when he saw Selphie check the condition of the officer. "…Ow."

"Got your sense back yet?" asked Seifer, hand still gripping Irvine's rifle away from the sniper.

"That was way too hard," Irvine said, massaging his sore cheek.

"Ok then!" Selphie stood up and sheathed her Nunchaku. "Let's stop the missiles, blow the base to smithereens, and get outta here!"

Accepting his rifle back, Irvine pointed to the panels behind Biggs' desk. "One of those control panels should be the launch control mechanism."

"Let's split and start looking," Seifer said.

Selphie found what the team was looking for in the left control panel. "Let's see... Heeey! I found it! Push this, then that... There! I'm done! Whoo-hoo! All we need to find now is the self-destruct mechanism!"

"Why are you so adamant about the 'blow up the base to smithereens' thing?" said Seifer.

"Why not?" Selphie walked into the back room.

"Yeah, Seifer," said Irvine. "Why not?"

"Jeez."

"Heeey! This is the self-destruct mechanism for the base!" she said from the room. "Hmmm... Let's see here... Huh? We have to set a time?"

"Not too fast," said Irvine.

"Make it fast so nobody can run," said Seifer.

"So we can't run too?" the sniper asked.

"Well I'm good at running."

"The whole 'I don't know about you two' is so implied, you ass."

"We're gonna be good friends, I knew it."

Selphie walked out from the room with a big grin.

**-Self-destruct mechanism activated. 10 minutes until destruction. All staffs evacuate the base immediately. I repeat...-**

"…I'm not sure we can escape in ten," said Irvine.

"Whoo-hoo!" Selphie cheered. "Let's hurry on outta here!"

"You got any feeling she never listened to us?" Seifer asked when the team leader ran out of the room.

After the three mercenaries left, Biggs coughed and grunted. His eyelashes flicked the blood away from his eyes and he turned to look at Wedge, who still lay next to the door.

"…It's not over yet..." Biggs said. He rolled to his chest, crawled to his desk and reached under it. He pressed the hidden button and slunk to the door. With a pained whine, the soldier moved Wedge's unmoving body up on his back and crept out.

"Huh?" Selphie heard a buzzing noise on her way out to the parking lot. "Heeey? What was that noise?"

"Probably… the… sound of my feet shrinking… with all the running we just did," Irvine said between gasps next to her.

"It's your lungs," said Seifer. He watched the soldiers flee. They jumped into the vehicles, some ran out on foot.

A tank paced around the parking lot, six pods on top of its head with arms as huge as a wine barrel. It didn't look like it was going to flee. It saw them and ran towards the three. Selphie looked up when something was shot from the base. Irvine groaned when the missile flew in the sky and disappeared. The tank swung one of its robotic arms towards them, and the mercenaries scampered out of the way.

"Heey!" said Selphie.

"There's no way I'm letting you all live! It would be inexcusable to Sorceress Edea!" someone shouted from inside the tank. "I don't want to suffer her wrath! Are you men ready!"

"Yes, sir!" shouted someone from the robotic left pod.

"Yes, sir!" replied another from the robotic right pod.

"Alright, let's go."

Hiding behind the entrance to the base, Selphie studied the six pods on top of the tank when the arms smashed everything it could grab on the way of Irvine and Seifer. The man shouting the orders must be in one of the pods, but which one?

"Holy—" Missing one second to roll to the side, Irvine received the steel fist and flung to the iron fence. He slid to the floor and clutched his stomach. "…Every few days like this…"

Hyperion met the strong steel and rebounded. Seifer stumbled back and raised his free hand towards the tank. "Thunda…shit, I'm out of it—" was what he said before the tank barreled onto him. The human bullet to the far end of the lot was fairly impressive.

"Thunder!" Selphie shouted and threw the small orbs to the machine. It hit, sparkled and made a tiny dent on the centre pod. The tank whirled and zoomed on her. "Ack!" She ran into the base when the tank charged at her.

_**Summon me!**_ Diablo shouted. _**Let me unleash my wrath to the—**_

**You can't even fit in that door, you fool**, Ifrit said. **Get out of here first, little lady.**

The tank smashed onto the door and struggled to pull its body back. The arms shook but unable to release the tight hug from the doorframe.

"AHHH! Captain!" said one of the pods.

"We're just stuck, don't worry!"

Selphie ran to the tank that was jammed on the entrance, hopped on its thigh, grabbed its idle arm and began to climb.

"Captain! What is she doing?"

"No! Move! Move!" shouted the Captain.

Selphie slid between a small space of the tank's pod and the ceiling of the entrance, and pulled out her Nunchaku. She began cracking the centre pod.

"Stand by for beam cannon!" said the Captain.

_Beam cannon?_

"Yes, sir!"

"Selphie!" shouted Seifer. He paced to the door, stumbling a little. "Get away from that thing!"

Selphie looked at Seifer when the pods emitted a bright beam. The three centre pods opened. Selphie had just reached down to grab the captain inside, who ducked, and the laser hit her arm. She screamed when the other hit her thigh and top of her head. The main beam hit the inside wall; the rebound power punched the tank in the middle, dislodging the robot from the entrance. It was tossed to the parking lot. Selphie flung to the ground in front of Seifer.

"Selph!" Seifer crouched and checked the unconscious girl. He pressed his palm over the girl's bleeding forehead and whispered, "Draw and cast.. Full-Life…"

A glimmer appeared from Selphie's forehead, wrapping Seifer's palm like a metallic coloured glove, and submerged back into the girl's skin. The wound on the top of her head stopped bleeding. The skin around the deep gash on her thigh knitted together. Her darkened arm filling up, the skin colour returned. Selphie's lips opened and she breathed a deep gasp, before choking and coughing. Seifer rolled the girl to her side.

"OK?" he asked.

Selphie frowned and looked at Seifer. "Heey…"

"What?"

"Angel wouldn't look like Seifer… so that means I'm in hell…?"

Seifer raised one of his brow and stood up, turning his attention back to the now active tank. It was focusing on the sniper. Irvine hid behind a column. A box of thunder bullet was open near his foot, the contents were running out. The tank bent down, and pushed itself off the ground, ramming full speed to the column. Irvine rolled to the side in time. He stood and aimed at the tank.

"Good… good, it's time…" he said, waiting for the tank to turn its pods at him. "SHOT!"

The first thunder bullet hit the centre pod, smashing the glass. The captain inside it looked at the sniper in surprise. The second thunder bullet smashed the right pod, buried deep inside the forehead of the shocked soldier. The third thunder bullet shattered the second to the left pod, the man inside managed to duck. He didn't escape the fourth and strongest final shot of the limit break. His right eye had the last vision of a fast small thing flying towards him, before he lost it.

Seifer was late to react when the girl climbed to the top of the tank again. Selphie pulled the hair of the captain. The man screamed and grabbed Selphie's wrist. With other hand, Selphie whacked the back of the man's head with her Nunchaku. The tank fell down to the front, with the girl refused to let go of the fainted Captain. She looked back, put one of her feet to the ground behind her and heaved the man out of the tank.

"You… what… I…" Seifer closed his eyes. "I give up."

"Oh no," Irvine watched the building shook. The ground tremored. "Oh, no."

Selphie threw the captain away, and pulled another man out of the pod.

"What are you doing?" Seifer shouted. He pulled Selphie. "We need to run!"

"How fast can we run?" Selphie jerked her arm away. "How fast can I run?"

"Squall...He didn't trust me." Irvine reached up, but his hat was no longer there to calm him. "That's probably why he put me on this team..."

"You saw that beam cannon, right?" Selphie shouted.

"What the hell are you talking about? Everyone saw that death lasers!" Seifer grabbed her arm. "We have to go! Now!"

"You saw how this tank got up after it got hit? Help me pull that soldier out!"

The window was the first thing to burst. The heat from the inside of the building burst out, inviting anyone who dared to accept its solemn embrace. The wall of the building shattered. The entire ceiling went up to the sky, flames tailed its escape. Darkened yellow enveloped everything on its path, heat and death promised to anything it touched.

Then the desert exploded.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Alright!" With Quistis on his back, Zell whooped at the sight of Balamb Garden in front of them. "The Garden's safe!"

Squall looked around. Although the gate keeper wasn't around, the gate and the building were still there. Nothing out of the ordinary, he was probably out for lunch. _It looks like they did it. Still, the missiles could be on their way._ "We have to get Quistis into the clinic then report to the headmaster. Come on."

"Find the headmaster!" a garden faculty shouted in a hall full of running students. Nobody seemed to listen to him. The students didn't even look like they had somewhere to run to, what with one crashing against another, bumping to the benches and plants, and running to the wall. One crashed against another faculty just walking around the round fountain to the elevator door, and both fell into the water.

_What's going on? Are they evacuating?_

"Seize him! Kill him if you have to! Go!"

_What?_

The Garden faculty turned and noticed them. He slid to them. "You three, what side are you on?"

_Huh?_

"Answer the question! Are you with the Garden Master, or are you with Cid!"

Squall shook his head. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Do you swear your allegiance to Garden Master NORG?"

Zell frowned. "Who's NO—"

"Yes..." Quistis said from Zell's shoulder. "We do..."

"All right then." The faculty nodded while the two mercenaries stared at the blonde. "Go find Cid. Members of his faction are protecting him. Kill them if they interfere." The faculty saw a student from the cafeteria, and pointed at him. "You! Who are you—hey, don't run!" He jogged after the boy.

"Who's NORG?" Zell asked.

"It's…" Quistis swallowed. "Hard to explain. Just get me to the clinic… and… keep the headmaster safe."

"Hey!" Raijin waved to them from the Garden directory board. Fujin stood next to him. "You're back!"

Squall walked to them. "What's going on here?"

"I dunno. At first, they were sayin' somethin' 'bout roundin' up the SeeDs, ya know! Now, everyone's either sidin' with the Garden Master or the headmaster and fightin' everywhere, ya know!"

Squall glanced around, making sure nobody heard them. The students were busy beating one another enough to give them space. "Why are SeeDs being targeted? And where's the headmaster? Is he safe?"

Raijin shrugged. "We got no clue."

"We need to see him right away. It's important. Galbadian missiles may be heading this way."

"WHAT!" Raijin looked at his sister. "We gotta get outta here!"

Fujin raised her foot and kicked his shin.

"OOOUUCH! Geez, alright! We'll warn everyone about the missiles! Man, this is no time to be fightin', ya know?"

"We'll go look for the headmaster," Squall said.

Zell looked wary. "Yo, guys… so, about the headmaster… are you?"

Raijin grinned. "We're with Seifer. Always have, always will." He ran following his sister.

"So, what about Rinoa?" Zell asked. "You didn't even ask them that, Squall?"

_Rinoa?_ Squall frowned. "She's here?"

"Well… duh. Irvine said Selphie let them take Rinoa here, where she'll be safe. You didn't ask Irvine about her?"

Squall gave a halfhearted shrug. "She's not SeeD or cadet. She has nothing to do with both sides. She'd probably be safe." He studied Quistis's pale face. "We need to get to the clinic now."

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

* * *

_**To **__**be**__** Continued…**_

_**-x-x-x-x-  
**_

_**-x-x-x-x-  
**_

A.N: There's a lot of weird things going on with the tank in the missile base. From the looks of it, in the game Squall takes quite a while to get to FH. All that wandering, sleeping in his dorm, running underground being a plumber, moving the thing with an arcade stick and buttons, go sleep, running down again meeting the king of the underground blob, running up, talking to the master of the cowards again, sleeping again, looking for something to fish while the Garden was out at sea... Even the prince of obliviousness wondered how long had the Garden drift at sea. So was that tank filled with air, food, water, entertainment, shower and a toilet? Because if it was jammed all that time it took Squall to wander up and about, and it didn't even have enough ventilation for the three to shout and warn Squall about them, then... were they zombies?

Was Squall fighting Ultimecia with three zombies?


	25. In and Out

**Chapter 25**

**In and Out…**

* * *

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

"Call the monsters!"

Squall lifted his hand, holding Zell from moving forward. The group of people in front of them didn't pay any attention to them, and he would prefer it that way.

"Squall," whispered Zell, eyes on the back of several uniformed SeeDs raising their weapons against a Garden Faculty and two SeeDs. "How do we know which one is on which side?"

"Until we find the headmaster," said Squall, "this is none of our business. We're not here to fight anyone."

"But…" Zell heard a buzz from the back. "Damn it!" He lunged to the side, missing the attack of the Granaldo flying towards him.

Squall raised his Shear Trigger and smacked the giant insect right on its attack spike. The Granaldo hit the wall and didn't manage to escape the hand of the gunblader that yanked one of its wings from its body. It shrieked when the gunblader managed to amputate its wing and threw the now useless part to the floor. The Granaldo flopped and flailed to the floor, its green blood gushes out of the wound.

Squall looked at the group of people, who was staring back at him.

"…I never liked bugs, but that's just mean," said one of the SeeDs.

"More SeeDs here!" the Garden Faculty said. He pointed to the newcomers. "Attack!"

"Oh whoa, hey!" Zell shouted. "Listen, we just wanna get through! Let us…" He ducked, Quistis on his back almost grazed, avoiding a Shuriken aimed at his head. He looked up and stared at the deep crack on the wall. "Okay… whatever."

"Zell," said Squall, blocking a sword with his gunblade. He kicked the sword fighter in the stomach and sidestepping one of the martial artists aiming for his face. "Run to the infirmary."

"What?" Zell saw the crowded tunnel. Several SeeDs were punching and kicking the Garden Faculty, others blindly swinging their swords to hit anything they could reach. "…Errr, no."

"Kill them!" yelled the Garden Faculty. "Kill anyone who's siding with Cid!"

"In fact," said Zell, taking a step back when a SeeD walked towards him. Squall blocked the SeeD's path. "I'm gonna get out of here."

Squall wrestled the man to the floor and looked at Zell. "And where do you think you're going?"

"I don't know… um." Zell stayed in place. "To Ma's?"

Squall knocked the man below him unconscious. "If your mother's a doctor, you can run there now."

"Hey hey, no talkin' 'bout my Ma like that!"

"Eargh!" The Garden Faculty, now strangled on the floor by two SeeDs, yelled and struggled to get free. "Let me go! You! Help me!"

"You who?" said one of the Cid's SeeDs holding his arms. All other SeeDs, except three of them and the newcomer trios, were on the floor, bruised and bloodied. "You lose!"

"Yes, we won!" cheered another Cid's SeeDs sitting on the back of the Faculty. She smacked the head of the robed man.

"Ouch! How dare you!"

The infirmary door opened, and the doctor walked out. She stopped at the sight of the tunnel. "What's going on here?" She crouched and checked one of the wounded SeeD. "Oh my... Can you stand up?"

The SeeD frowned. "Why are you helping me? I'm with the Garden Master..."

Dr. Kadowaki sighed. "Stop being ridiculous. I don't care whose side you're on. We need to take care of those wounds now, you hear?" She stood up and noticed Squall and Zell standing at the end of the tunnel. "Squall." Then she noticed the woman on Zell's back. "Quistis…?"

Squall sheathed his gunblade while the doctor walked to them. Quistis had her eyes closed, and she didn't make any noise at all, but from the way she clenched her teeth, Squall knew she's awake. The doctor turned and rushed towards the infirmary.

"What is going on with you two? Don't just stand here. Get in, quick!"

A girl who was bandaging the arm of a cadet looked up when they rushed into the infirmary. She jumped from her chair. "Squall! Zell!"

Zell stopped in his tracks. "Rinoa?" Squall pulled him in and herded him to the empty cot. "What's going on here?"

"I have no idea!" Rinoa finished the wrap and walked towards them. Zell laid Quistis down on the cot. "It was quiet for a while and then everyone's started hitting each other. Rai and Fuu got me out of the dorm and said that I'm needed here!"

_'Deposited' her into the care of the doctor was more likely._ Squall pulled Zell back when the doctor stepped in and drew the curtain close around Quistis's cot.

Rinoa stood next to Squall and smiled at him. "So you got out safe after all." Squall looked around for a place to sit and she placed the chair she just sat on next to him. "What happened to her? Where's everyone else?"

"It's..." Zell leaned on the wall and stretched his arms. "Getting kinda complicated. We gotta go meet the headmaster and explain something."

Dr. Kadowaki pulled the curtain aside. "Are you looking for Cid? As you can see, he's not here."

Squall stared at Quistis's form. "Do you have any idea what happened to her?"

"Some of her nerves are severely damaged. The wound is infected and she got a high fever. It's a good thing you came here. I'll operate on her as soon as I can find her a blood donor." The doctor opened up her cabinet and searched for something. "We don't have enough with all the battles going on around here."

"But she'll be fine, right?" said Zell.

"After I remove the infected—" Dr. Kadowaki found the vial and turned to her desk. "You don't really have to know the details. Yes, she'll be fine after I operate on her." The doctor found the syringe packs and opened one.

"You guys don't have the magic to cure her?" asked Rinoa.

"It's not that easy," Zell said. "We were separated for more than twenty-four hours after the incident. At the time we found her, it was way past the healing time."

"Huh." Rinoa supported her chin with her knuckles. "I need to learn more about that."

"What's her blood type?" Squall stood up.

"It's A." The doctor filled in the syringe. "You can't be her donor, Squall. Neither can you, Zell. What's your blood type, Rinoa?"

"I'm not sure, but my dad's B."

The doctor moved to inject Quistis. "My blood type is B. We need to find someone in the Garden who is an A, and patients are out of the question."

Quistis shifted a bit when the liquid made its way into her blood vessel. She opened her eyes halfway and whispered, "Nida… Irvine."

Zell frowned. "Irvine's not here."

Squall stared at Quistis's hazy eyes before murmuring, "I think she meant they're an A."

"Really?" Zell tilted his head. "How did she know?"

"Nida… isn't he the SeeD who passed the test with you, Squall?" Dr. Kadowaki pulled out the syringe. "I have never seen him anywhere after the inauguration."

"Does… anyone…" Quistis's eyes rolled to the back. "Evvveeeerrrrrr…"

"Right." Zell clapped his hands. "So, let's find this Nida person and get on with finding the headmaster! Do you know where he is, doc?"

"Hmm... Xu might know. I have no idea where she is though. Why are you looking for him anyway?"

"I need to inform him that there may be missiles heading this way." Squall said. "You should get out of here, too."

Dr. Kadowaki turned around and met Squall's eyes. "Are you serious? Then I'm definitely going to have to stay. If anybody gets hurt, who's going to look after them?"

"Well at least you'll stay to operate on the instructor…" Zell said.

"Just go find blood donors as fast as you can. Not just one person." Dr. Kadowaki slipped something in Squall's hand. "You're out of potion, right?"

The doctor turned her back, as Rinoa said, "Okay! I'm going with you! As a client, the safest place I'll be in this place is near you, right?"

"Yeah, we need everyone who can fight!" said Zell.

Squall pocketed the Elixir and stared at the door and to Rinoa. "Where's your combat dog?"

"Angelo? She's not an attack dog, she's my pet!" said Rinoa. "I left her in one of the empty classrooms on the second floor. She needs to hide; it's getting scary here without you guys."

"Let's get it."

"You're going to bring Angelo along?" Rinoa smiled. "Wow, that's so nice of you!" She followed Squall out of the infirmary, leaving Zell who was making faces behind them.

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

Raine zipped up Laguna's outer coat. "Just be careful, okay?"

The latter grinned at her. "Hey, when am I not being careful?"

Deciding she's not going to waste her time with that, Raine patted the man's shoulder. "Don't worry about this village. You can always come home whenever you want."

"I'll come back as soon as I'm done," Laguna said. He looked down and patted the hair of a toddler hanging on his leg. "Come on, Elle. I'm not gonna go far."

The girl looked up at her uncle. "Just wwrite hewwre…"

"Hey hey, I can't write a travelling book based on my imagination alone." Laguna smoothed Ellone's hair. "Besides, it's just a few weeks, I'm gonna be back before you know it."

"It's gonna take a while," said Solange, looking from the village gates. "They're going to cuddle, they're going to say something, and he's going to cry and say he's not going…"

"He's done that three times this week," said Kiros, fastening his backpack and testing it next to the girl. "Can't really waste any more time, we need to get going." He turned to her. "So you're really not going to come with us? We're going to the same station after all."

"Naah." Solange waved her hands. "I got a lot more things to do around here. Snow's not sold yet, and I haven't finished the registration of some newborns. It'll be at least a week more that I'm trapped in here."

Kiros looked at the Chocobo herds near the gate. "You're really not going to come back here?"

"One summer's enough. Besides, once I'm in my studies, I might never come home until all's done."

Kiros stared at the ground. "You never told me where your campus is at."

Solange smirked. "Why? How's that gonna work? You're gonna drop by every few months? Naah."

"…Yeah. Yeah, I guess that's not really plausible."

Solange patted the man's arm when Laguna strolled their way. "Just go. We got a great summer. I know this Timber Maniac building, so I'm gonna send you two a letter."

"Let's get going, man," Laguna said passing them. "I can't stop now and look back or I'm gonna miss our train again."

Kiros stared at Laguna's back and sighed. He turned to Solange. "So…"

Solange pulled him for a hug and released the man just as quickly. "Bye." She waved as the man nodded and ran to catch up with Laguna.

Raine smiled at her when Solange walked to her side. "Is your fever's down yet?"

Solange grimaced. "Not really. I still don't feel that good."

"You know you can't really travel until you're feeling better." Raine entered the pub, Ellone and Solange followed. "Shame you don't even want to drink something to help you sleep."

"I don't feel like it," Solange said. She sat on the counter. "My head's killing me. So dizzy. When my uncle said I'm gonna get the Chocobo flu I didn't believe him." She placed her head on the bar. "I'm so miserable. I puked from every meal, I'm so tired all the time and now Snow doesn't even want me to ride on her. And the university entrance test is three days from now."

"Thewwe, thewwe," Ellone said patting her legs. She grinned up to the feverish girl. "Yaww gonna ged bedda."

"Sure I'm gonna get better," said Solange. "Cheered by a baby… I mean what could possibly be worse than this?"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

"Water!"

"What? What do you mean water? I thought we had fixed that damn hole!"

"Can't…" Thump, thump. "We gotta get out of this pod!"

"What do you mean, 'out of this pod'! It's ocean out there!" A rough shake on her. She fell from the seat, head hitting the front console. "Get up! Get up!"

"Aw!"

"Get up! Don't sleep! We gotta get out!"

Selphie groaned and massaged the bump on her forehead. She glanced to her right and left seat. The men were standing up on their seats, both pushing their own pod lid in panic. She looked down. Her feet were… submerged… in… water…

"AAAH!" Selphie hopped up her seat. "Water! Water!"

"Selph!" yelled Seifer. "Find the button to open your lid! Do something!"

Selphie crouched and pushed away any button she could. A spark from the submerged button flared up her arm. "Ack! Electrocuted! Wait… is that a fish?" She plucked up a flailing Pisces from the water. "Hey, it's a clown fish! I wonder why it's here…?"

"The button! We're drowning, you damn filly!"

"Oh, right!" Selphie dropped the fish and searched around. "I'm not going to touch any of them again, I'll get electrocuted again!"

"Oh great." Irvine stopped his panic actions and took a deep breath. Then he continued banging the lid with his damp rifle. "Open! Open!"

"You… you… when I'm getting out I'm gonna keep your head down, you damn…" Seifer hit the lid with his gunblade hilt. "Aargh, I'm not gonna die here!"

"Ifrit! Please do something!"

**You're asking too much of me in such a small space. I can't risk grilling my host, little one.**

"Diablos!"

**_What? Seriously, what do you think I can do? I can't even get out if there's not enough headspace! You wanna get clawed and demied?_**

"My GFs can't do anything!"

"They are never useful in the first place!" said Seifer. "And just now you learn something about having a damn monster in your head!"

"Heey!" someone shouted from the outside of the pod. "Look what I got! A Steel mermaid!"

"Whoa! You fool!" said another voice. "It's a pod! A Galbadian one! Get it up here!"

The trio fell to the front as the pod tilted and rose up. Something shook the pod rough and it hit the hard surface. The pod residents bounced and hit the consoles. Little by little, the water pooling around inside went down.

"Whew." Selphie sat up.

"You think there's a soldier inside?" asked the outside voice.

"Who knows? We gotta get someone to open it. Hey, isn't that old monkey man good at this thing? I'm gonna call him."

"I gotta report this to the Mayor. Should we prepare something, like a banquet or stuff? You know, to say we caught them in peace, like what the Mayor always said."

"Who knows? You gotta ask Flo 'bout things like that."

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

The elevator door opened for them, only to find Xu with her knives raised.

"Whose side are you on?" she asked. Next to her, Angelo sat still and stared at her, then to her master. She gave a confused whine.

"Neither." Squall raised his hands and walked out of the elevator. Zell and Rinoa followed. Angelo sneaked behind Xu towards her master. "We have urgent news. We need to see the headmaster now. Where is he?"

Xu narrowed her eyes. "I'm listening..."

"Galbadian missiles may be heading this way."

"Here? All right. I'll inform him right away."

"Where is he?"

Xu glanced at Angelo, who was at Rinoa's side. She lowered her knives. "In his office. We made it look like he's hiding, but he's been there all along. Follow me." She walked past them into the elevator.

At the third floor, Xu motioned for them to wait. She walked into the headmaster's office. After a while, she ambled out.

"Anyway, where's Quistis?" she asked.

"In the infirmary." Squall thought about it. "Are your blood A?"

"No, it's AB. Why?"

"Never mind. Is he in there?"

"He's waiting for you. I'll go tell everyone to evacuate."

Squall knocked on the door before opening it a bit and peered in. "Sir."

Headmaster Cid leaned on his desk, motioning him to come in. "Xu has told me about the missiles. The intercom is down so we can't announce the order to evacuate."

Squall walked in and saluted. "Xu, Raijin, and Fujin are taking care of that."

Headmaster Cid waved the salute away. "I want you to assist them and then evacuate."

_...What's on your mind? "_But I have a lot to report."

"You can tell me later."

_You might be dead later..._

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"Sir… what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stay here and see this to the end. After all, this place is like my home."

Zell shook his head. "You're plannin' on dying here?"

"No...!" Rinoa said. "You can't! Just come with us, please! You can always rebuild this place!"

"I'm going to try something. There still may be a way to save the Garden."

_Against missiles...? How?_ Squall watched when Cid ambled, ever so slowly, to his chair.

"…Think I'm too old for this." Cid sighed and placed his arms on the desk.

"Sir," Squall said. "I'd like to handle whatever it is that you're planning."

"And why is that?"

Squall looked up. "My feelings have nothing to do with it, sir."

Cid smiled. "Quistis was right. You do have a hard time expressing your feelings." Squall probably tensed up, because Cid just raised his hand and waved it. "Well… It's much better if Quistis is here too. This building used to be a shelter." He drew something out of his drawer and tossed it to the gunblader. "Use that key to open the lock on the elevator. It'll give you access to the MD level. Further, below, there is some control system. It was used when this place was still a shelter, so I've never seen it. I have no idea what it does. It was used for the shelter, so it might prove effective against the missiles. That's what I'm betting on."

Squall studied the key in his hand. _Sounds far fetched_. "I understand. We'll find the control system and check it out."

"Is Quistis around? She can help. She was there once or twice before she was made a permanent teacher."

_What? Why?_

Seeing the frown on Squall's face, Cid chuckled. "You have to ask her that yourself. Anyway, good luck to all of you."

"Sir… I have to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"What's your blood type?"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

He bumped against the SeeD on the door.

"Oops. Sorry, man," said the SeeD, hand clutching his other arm. Squall watched the man walk away.

"Hey, isn't that Nida?" Zell walked in. "So someone told him Quistis is here and he's donating his blood? That's cool."

The doctor, still wearing her mask and gloves, shushed them. "She's just out of the surgery, she needs some sleep. And Nida was here for a headache a few minutes after you guys left."

Rinoa hummed. "Really? What a coincidence."

Squall peered into the half-drawn curtains surrounding Quistis. She was tucked in a plain blanket, her body in a white clinic gown. Her eyes closed. "How's she? Is the blood enough? Nida's just one guy."

"Nida got a few of his friends to donate too, so there are no worries about that for now." The doctor removed her mask and gloves. "She's going to need a rehab; she won't be able to move both of her arms for a while. I'll keep her in meds for a— what are you guys doing here anyway?" She threw the mask and gloves into the can. "You're not hurt, so stop strolling in here all the time. She's going to be fine without you three hanging around."

"She can't move her arms…" Zell said. "Damn it, there goes our plan."

"Is she awake?" asked Rinoa.

There was a groan from the cot. The woman in question opened her eyes and gazed at them. "Whaaattt…"

The doctor rolled her eyes. "She is now."

"…She can't move her arms!" Zell pushed the curtain open. "Quistis! I'm taking away my necklace!" He patted around Quistis's neck. "…Huh?"

"Whaaaaaddaaayuuuuddooooiiinn n…"

Squall smacked Zell's hand.

"Where's my necklace?" Zell said. "My necklace!"

"I took away all her accessories and clothes for the surgery," said the doctor from her desk. "Nida already had his friend took them to Quistis' room."

"Why Nida?" asked Zell. "My necklace!"

"But Quistis' room is locked!" said Squall.

"He has her room card, somehow. I don't pay attention to that while I was doing the operation." Dr. Kadowaki pulled out a new file from her drawer. "Just ask Nida about that."

"Uaaaah!" Zell clutched his head. "My necklace!"

Squall looked down. _How come Nida has her room card? How did she know Nida? He's a new transfer…!_

"Niiiiidaaaa…" Quistis's eyes glazed over. "Heeeessaaagooood boyyyyfrrrieeeennddd.."

"…She's so drugged," Rinoa said. "She's an instructor, right? How can she date a new SeeD? Wasn't he her student just before the test?"

Squall frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

Rinoa's mouth opened. She looked away at the drawn curtain. "…Well, I guess… it's just kinda… weird. I don't know. Is he her boyfriend?"

"No," said Squall.

"No," said Zell. "Seifer's her boyfriend."

"Zell!"

Zell clamped his mouth with his palm, eyes wide. Rinoa stared at him. Then she stared at Quistis.

"Is this true?" she said. "You're his girlfriend?"

"Whooo?" Quistis gave a weird smile. "Aaaainttgotnoboyyyfrienddd…" She moved her head to the side. "…Thaaanggg…"

"Well… I guess it's fine." Rinoa shrugged. "It's… already been a while since we broke up anyway."

_Wait, what?_ "You broke up with Seifer?" asked Squall.

"What do you think I am, showing interest in someone…" Rinoa trailed off. Squall was staring at Quistis shaking her head left and right. "I mean… I'm not that kind of girl."

"Well Seifer's with Selphie now," Zell said. "I don't know what I'm talking about. Sorry."

"Selph?" Rinoa was lost in thought. "I don't think he is?"

"He's not?" Zell asked, disbelieving. "That means he's with Quistis and Quistis only?"

Squall narrowed his eyes. _Can't be._

"What's with all the bad thoughts about Seifer?" Rinoa folded her arms. "He's super touchy with me, and he didn't do that with Selphie so I'm sure he's not with her. He flirted a lot but he's actually loyal when we're together. He's only a playboy in words."

"The bully's a one-woman's man?" Zell shook his head. "Can't believe that."

Rinoa shrugged. "You weren't dating him; you wouldn't know how he really is."

"Ssseeiiffeeerrrrrgoooddddboy yyy…" said Quistis, now swaying her head in the motion of a wave. "Weeeeeirrrrdddgooooddddbooyy yy…"

"Let's stop talking about this," said Squall. He moved to the door. "The missile's coming. Quistis's not sober right now. We can't ask her to draw us a map. There's no time. Let's get to the underground by ourselves."

"Whoa," Zell said, following Squall to the door. "That's abrupt."

"Sorry, we got lost in talking about Seifer and boyfriend thing," Rinoa said. She slowly drew the curtain. "I'm sure you don't like hearing about your rival like that."

"Unnnderrrgrrrounnndddd?" Quistis said. "Sheeeeelllteeeerrr… Ikneeeeewwwwdaatttplaaaceee…"

Squall stopped. He turned his head to the direction of the closed curtain.

"Squall?" asked Rinoa.

"You were saying…?" he said.

"Mooooovveeeeiiitttt, moovveittbooomboommbooom moooove… I caaannmooovveeeiittt…"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

"So I know we never actually did things the way normal people did, but carrying a practically immobile drugged person with us all the way down?" Zell said, folding his arms. "A new record."

With his fur leather jacket tied on her hips to cover her, Quistis mumbled something on his back. Squall pretended not to hear anything. Rinoa watched the digit on top of the elevator door.

"The doctor's pretty angry," she said.

"Oh really?" said Zell. "I suppose we kidnapping the instructor had nothing to do with it?"

"It's necessary," Squall said. "We need directions. We don't have much time. Not after you two ranting about love and boyfriends."

The elevator shook when it reached the MD level. Zell groaned when the lights dimmed and the room darkened.

"Not nowww…"

"Haaaaaattttcccchhhh…" murmured Quistis. "Dooowwwwnnn…"

"Zell," said Squall in the darkness. "Open it."

"On it," said the voice near the floor. A thump. Small light shined from the hole in the floor. Zell climbed down the hatch.

"Alright!" he said from below. "Down, everyone!"

"How are you going to get her down?" asked Rinoa. "Shouldn't we just leave her in the elevator? It's not safe with you two down the ladder like that."

"Just get down," said Squall. "I'll be right behind you."

"Careful," Zell said, holding to Rinoa's legs until she reached the floor. They looked up and saw Squall climbed down with Quistis strapped on his back, with two of his belts. "Wow. So those belts do have their functions."

Squall studied the deep elevator channel down and the steel tunnel in front of them. "Nobody's been here for a while, so be careful."

Zell was the last to enter the steel tunnel. Something slammed behind him. They turned to see the last of the elevator cable down the channel. A screech of metal grazed against the channel, and then… nothing.

"Onnnwardddss… doooowwnnnn."

"We need to get down another hatch," said Squall from the end of the tunnel. He crouched and climbed down.

Rinoa glanced to Zell. "…Nothing?"

"No… explosion?" Zell tilted his head. "Bottomless… that's worse."

Squall looked around the metal tunnel. "It's an oil stratum..."

"Fireee…" said Quistis. "Junnnctionnnn elllemmmennttal attach…attackk…"

_You hear that, Shiva?_

**-Yes. I'm doing it right now. I'm not good with Fire magic but it'll do. -**

Rinoa looked lost for a moment. "Seems like Siren's not really the best GF for me. I don't feel stronger…"

"Done with Quez," said Zell.

"Ok, let's go." Squall walked following the adjacent pipe. The area around them was dim and damp, with only a bulb in the long tunnel. Zell and Rinoa followed behind. Squall walked down a slope and saw a big valve in front of a pipe.

"Turrrrnnnn… haaarrdddttoobeeeonnne…"

"What's she saying?" Zell walked to the valve. He turned the valve to the side, only to have it wheeled back.

"It needs more than one person," said Squall. "Rinoa, go help him."

Rinoa held on to the side of the valve with Zell on the other. Together, they turned the valve all the way to the left.

"Aandddddhbacckkk…"

"Man, how did she know all this stuff?" said Zell. "What was she doing here?"

Squall turned and headed into the room they just passed through.

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

"I'm out of Fire!" said Rinoa. She ran to the end of the tunnel, where Squall had run first.

Squall threw Fira to one of the two Oilboyles sliming all over Zell, who was on the opposite end of the passage.

"Aagh, yuck!" Zell crawled away from the monsters. "Fira! Fira! Whatever! Quez, out!"

"No! We're all covered in oil!" yelled Squall. "You're in a tunnel, Zell! No GF!"

"Oh, and you think throwing Fira at them when I'm right here is-" Zell kicked the slime monster away from gnawing his legs. "Okay?"

"Wwwwheerree…" Quistis murmured, half-groaning. "Amm I?"

"All right, so whatever, right?" said Rinoa. "Umm… Cure!"

"What the hell?" said Zell, when the ball of healing magic crashed against his head.

"What are you doing?" said Squall.

"Well sorry for not having any magic!" said Rinoa. "I got nothing left! Nobody's ever taken me out to stock up on things like this!"

"Okay, no Quez!" Zell struggled against the slime the Oilboyles smeared all over his body. "Brothers!"

"No! We're all gonna die if the shaft fell apart!" said Squall.

"Well what do you want me tobblblblblr…" Zell was drowning inside the slime pool. "Nnnrblb!"

"Where…ow." Quistis groaned. "Ow. Ow. Ow."

"Oh no. Oh no. She's out of her meds!" said Rinoa, clutching Quistis's shaking body.

"Argh! Agh!" Quistis clenched her teeth. "Wha… Ow!" Her eyes opened wide, as the owner of the orbs took notice of her surroundings. "He... here…? Ow. Ow. Ow…?"

"Zell! …Sorry, Quis!" Squall removed the belts from his waist and let Rinoa held on to Quistis when he let her go. He ran to the opposite end of the tunnel and unsheathed his Shear Trigger. Rinoa helped the shaky Quistis down to the floor.

"Oilboyle…" Quistis watched Squall attacked the slime. "Wrong… wrong." Then she saw Zell inside the monster slime, struggling to get out. "Rinoa… tell Squall… Reflect … on us. Zell… Firaga on him…"

"Squall!" Rinoa shouted. "Summon Carbuncle! Zell! Firaga on yourself if you can hear me!"

When the waves of green bathed their bodies, Quistis closed her eyes, waiting for the hot explosion from the mountains of oil in the damp canal. Rinoa screamed when the force from the combustions hurled them out of the tunnel and smashed them against the standing console at the bottom of the stairs.

"Aaahhh Hyne..." Zell murmured from the floor. "That was extreme. Fun… not gonna do that again. Ever…"

Squall moved into a crawling position next to him. He tested his body. "Fine."

"Define fine," said Rinoa, lying next to him. "That was hell fire chasing us."

Squall looked around and saw Quistis leaning on the console. He crawled over to her. "Are you OK?"

With a blood trickling from the back of her head, Quistis gave the gunblader an unidentified expression. "Wish I… fainted."

"My body's in pieces," said Rinoa. "Someone… someone who has a healing magic…"

Squall cast Cura on Quistis's head wound while looking around. They were in a circular chamber, down from the ladder of the tunnel. Quistis was leaning against a single console in the centre of the chamber. The floor was made of a giant steel grate. Under the mesh, he could see gears and contraption stacked neatly below their level.

After casting the last of his Cura on Rinoa, Zell stood up and studied the console. He scratched his head. "Oh man...What the hell do we do now?"

Squall stood up and saw the buttons in front of him. He pushed buttons here and there.

"What the heck are you doin'?" asked Zell.

"I don't know! What else can I do?" Squall looked down at Quistis.

"No idea..." said Quistis.

"Oh, great." Rinoa sat up. "Now what?" She glanced around when the grate under her moved. "Heyy?"

"Everybody down!" Zell said.

Squall crouched and gripped on the grate when the floor began to spin. Zell lay down on the mesh, eyes wide as the gears under the mesh started pushing the steel bar up. The platform burst up, hitting everything above its level, up and up. Rinoa screamed as their bodies hit ceilings of the Garden levels, the grate not stopping even after crashing bulbs, woods, steels and tiles. Squall lay low on the floor, hands covering Quistis's head. She lay down under the console, eyes closed tight.

"This is not happening!" screamed Zell. "Help! Help!"

The platform stopped at one level. Squall opened his eyes. Cid's startled eyes were staring back at him. The headmaster's hands were in the air, folders and files lay forgotten on the floor.

Squall tossed away shattered tiles and woods all over him. He looked at the office window and shouted, "Missiles incoming!"

Cid whirled to the window and saw four missiles flying towards them.

"NO!" screamed Rinoa.

"Guys!" Zell jumped from the scattered ceilings around him. "We're moving! We're leaving!"

Squall watched as the missiles flew down, and landed in the middle of the Fire Cavern.

"We're moving?" he asked. He looked down from the massive window and watched as Balamb Garden glided above the sand. He turned back and looked at everyone in confusion.

The giant fire cave shattered, flames bursting out, torching everything nearby. The Garden that had departed from its resting place just missed the land of infernos grazing its foundation.

"Wait… weren't they supposed to hit… the Garden?" Zell said. "Why the Fire Cavern?"

"I see... So this is the secret..." Cid glanced to Quistis. "So you were right."

Quistis sighed. "That's the only way… to escape."

"Oh no!" Zell pointed at the window. "We're gonna crash to Balamb!"

Cid headed to the console. He pushed the buttons and pulled the switch on the pad, then scrunched his face.

"Headmaster?" asked Squall.

"I don't know what to do! We're going to crash into the town of Balamb if we don't do something!"

"Man...!" Zell shook his head. "This can't be happening!"

Cid looked at Squall. "Squall, can you think of anything?"

_...No!_

"Squall, do something!" said Rinoa.

"Someone… help me up," said Quistis. Everyone looked at her, and then Zell lifted her. She stared at the console and hummed a song.

"Do something!" said Rinoa.

"It's ancient pad. Just hit whatever… so you'll turn the gear inside," Quistis said. "It's so rusted… nothing else is going to work."

"Wha…" Zell said. "Really?" He raised his fist and smashed the buttons.

A buzz sounded from the floor below them. The Garden's slow movement towards the town of Balamb halted in place. Then, it started turning right, into the sea.

"Yes! We're turning!" said Cid.

Rinoa cheered. "Alright, Zell! You did it!"

"We're gonna crash into the sea!" said Zell.

The headmaster ran to his desk. "Everybody hold onto something!"

The Blue Garden crashed against the waves, rocked back and forth, before sliding into the ocean.

Headmaster Cid looked out from his window. "...Phew. Everyone, a job well done. I think the worst is behind us for now."

Squall folded his arms. "...Where are we heading?"

"We'll drift along for the time being...Until we figure out how to manoeuvre the Garden. So, it looks like we can finally relax for a while. And spend some time considering what to do next. So much for my room." He looked around, grimacing. "Where am I going to change now?"

"In your bedroom, of course," said Zell. "In the dorms?"

"Zell, would you mind… taking me back to the infir…" Quistis closed her eyes. "Nobody… is allowed... piggybacking me… ever again…"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

Author's Note: For** Tesake, boredsenseless2, Faoiliterna, Good Ol' Fashion Cola, **and of course my dear** illutiamist,** sorry for the long update. I wasn't in front of the computer/laptop often the last couple of months. But enough about reasons, I gotta update more often, wooo!


	26. Stranded

**Chapter 26**

**Stranded**

* * *

-x-

-x-

"That's all?" the male SeeD asked when they finished wrangling the last of the Grats back into the area. "So, we lost about thirty monsters, five of them Rex."

"Damn, this will cost us tons." Xu wrote something in her notepad. "Thanks for the help, Nida. You too, Squall." She saw the girl behind him. "And Squall's girlfriend. Thanks for helping us getting all these beasts back."

Squall sighed, noting the green blood all over his jacket and pants. He didn't really want to look back. Whatever expression Rinoa was sporting now behind him, he didn't really want to know.

"You're welcome!" she said as Xu said something to Nida. Both walked to the deeper area past the bridge. The Grat they were just kicking into the Centre fled into the bushes, flailing and whining something that sounded like revenge. All other monsters they had gathered in their earlier rounds had gone from the collecting fences, all four corners of the white planks for emergency fences chewed and ruined past the limit of repair.

"So," Rinoa said when Squall turned back to the exit of the Training Centre. "Do you have anywhere else you need to go now?"

_What now?_

"Because, well," Rinoa said, clasping her arms on her back and following the gunblader out. "Since I came here, I didn't have time to have a tour on this Garden. So I was wondering…"

Now that he was free to do something else until there was another command from Cid, Squall wondered about the trio in their suicide mission. They were unlikely to make it into the base, stemming from the fact that the missiles did land, although far from where the Garden was supposed to be. Maybe they survived.

Squall glanced back. Rinoa smiled at him. Her clothes, her hair, all free from any kind of monster liquid she was supposed to have right now. She did help, in a way, but she drew the limit at actually touching the monsters. Zell would be more helpful.

That particular blond had escorted, or to be more literal, carried Quistis back to the infirmary. Squall had said that he could do that too. Quistis didn't look his way. Zell returned his jacket to him and said, "Honestly? After you kidnapped her against everyone's will? Nah, I can do it just fine." Then he carried the instructor bridal-style. Squall wanted to mention that it would be better if he just carried Quistis on his back as he did, but they had gone in a flash. Then Xu appeared and mentioned something about cleaning up the monsters, which was what Squall felt like doing after all that. Too bad, it wasn't exactly what he expected to do.

"I need a shower," he said.

"Yeah, of course," Rinoa said. "I can wait until you're done."

_Hmm…_

They walked out of the Training Centre. Squall glanced around. The janitors and several cadets were moping and cleaning up the floor and walls of the main hall. The cadets were probably those on the losing side. NORG's side. _NORG… come to think about it…._

"I have something else to do," he said. Rinoa followed him into the tunnel to the dorm area. "Where are you going to wait?"

Rinoa blinked. "Well… I think I can wait in your room. Can't I?"

His room?

"Can't I? I've been in Seifer's room. I've seen girls and boys in and out from the same room. It's fine, right? There's no rule about that."

There wasn't, as long as the guest didn't stay past the visiting hours. Squall never felt like entertaining guest in his room. Aside from the rare occurrence of Selphie, Seifer and more often Zell, he didn't really care for anyone else in his place. The three just barged in anytime they pleased, ethics and norm be damned, and even if he kicked them out, they would just come back the next hour. Seifer, he never opened the door for, had the master card from his DC position. He sure liked to gloat that fact in front of him before 'officially confiscating' something from Squall when the gunblader didn't show up for their duel due to one or many reasons, most often Card game. To think someone like that was allowed to have that much control over anyone, to think that he could just open anyone's door, probably his girlfriend's door many times…

Girlfriend?

Squall looked down. "I need to go as soon as I change my clothes. You can't stay."

"Oh." Rinoa skidded to a halt. "Oh."

Squall glanced at her. "Do you have anywhere else you can go? Where did you sleep all this time?"

"Um. Rai and Fuu's room." Rinoa gave a bland smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You know? Just do your business. I'll be fine. Are you free tonight? We can go then."

Tonight…

"I need to give my report to Cid afterwards." Squall looked to the direction of the main hall. "You should do something else. I'm probably going to have another mission coming up soon."

"Really?" Rinoa straightened up. "What mission?"

He would have to search for the missile base team, maybe he and Zell would have to leave by canoe or emergency boat to land. Was there any in this Garden? It wasn't a ship. Rinoa didn't need to know all this. She was a client. "It doesn't concern you."

Rinoa pouted. "I thought… well, I can help."

The only one other than Zell that Squall could trust with the mission was in the infirmary with both her arms paralyzed. He probably could get her out soon if it was important for the mission. She would know how to reach the missile base without alarming the Galbadians. Now, how he could carry her without making the doctor yell at him...

"It's not necessary," he said. "Do stay in Garden until we land. Afterwards I will be able to finish your mission."

"Is that all you think about?" Rinoa said. "How to finish my mission as soon as possible?"

Was there something from their briefing that he didn't catch? "Don't you want it to end soon?"

"I didn't… I—" Rinoa moved her lips but nothing came out. "You know what? I—I need to go now. I don't feel good." She sighed. "Of course, you don't care, do you?"

What was she talking about? "Is your condition important for the mission?"

"I really don't know what I'm doing here," she said. "What am I doing?"

He was wondering the same.

"I… I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

Squall watched his client walk away with her shoulder slumped. He raised his brow. Then he noticed the slime all over him, scrunched his face and headed to his room.

_Whatever._

-x-

-x-

It was hard for him not to notice the woman leaning on his door. In fact, it would be hard for anyone not to realize there was an albino scowling to the innocent wall across from his room, looking for all means that she didn't really want to be there.

"Oh, hey, Fujin," Zell said, stopping far from her. "Um. Something's wrong?"

The woman glared at him. She raised a book with a blue cover in her hand. "THIS."

"Ah… what?" Zell thought he probably shouldn't come closer, but when Fujin stomped towards him, he asked Quetzalcoatl if the GF was ready for another fight, or at least prepared him for another fist to his face. The GF snored, sending the familiar buzz of electricity swimming in his head.

Fujin stopped in front of him and shoved the book to his chest. Zell reached for it and studied the book. "Oh. Goodbye Pupurun! Uh… wow. So you're the one who rented this and never returned it."

Her eyes were deadlier than a second ago. "MORON."

"…You're either talking 'bout me or your brother. I would like to think it's your brother."

A huff was all he got. Fujin turned and stalked off to the other direction.

"Uh, hey, Fuu!" Zell waved the book when she stopped and turned back to stare at him. "You know? Thanks! I owe you one!"

Fujin looked to the wall in the hall, as if contemplating something. She then said, "PAY."

"Whaa…?"

The woman opened her palm and waited.

"Oh," Zell said. "I—um, don't have that much money… or anything of the sort right now."

Fujin's eyes narrowed. She pointed at Zell's face. "LIFE."

"What?" He shouldn't say anything in the first place, Zell realized. "Um, no. I'm not giving you my life for a book. That's weird. And creepy."

Fujin didn't really care. She turned back and trotted down the path to the main hall.

"Whoa whoa, wait!" Zell ran after her. He had a niggling feeling on the back of his head that was neither Quez nor the two oxes, that letting her leave just like that would be severely detrimental to his future. He should give her something else… something less extreme. "Um, you know, have you eaten?" he asked when he reached her side.

Fujin tilted her head.

"'Cause, I got all these cadets coupons that I never used for any meal because they're not hot dogs coupons. I can't use them now that I'm a SeeD. So… you want them?"

Fujin studied his face. Then, she said, "DATE?"

"WHAT? NO!" Zell took a step back. "Well, it's not a date-date! It's um…"

"FINE." Fujin raised her hand again. "COUPONS."

"Uh. Great! Wait here, I'm gonna get them. Just—you know, it's not a date—" Zell said that as Fujin stared at him, "date," he finished lamely. Realizing that the woman probably was there out of a necessity to get rid of the book and not to hear him rambling, he ran to his door and slid the card on his identifier. "Okay, just… wait."

Fujin folded her arms. She should just tell Zell that the book was super late on the returning date and that now he would be the one to pay them instead of her brother, but this was more amusing. Besides, they were cadets. They didn't have the money to pay for such a ridiculous fee. Zell would understand. Once he realized that, like it or not, he should pay, and Fujin would see to it that the food coupons were already safe in her hand before that happened.

-x-

-x-

"Up you go!" the old man said. His yellow teeth shone against the sun, smell of cheap beer and bad tobacco accompanied his thin wrinkled form as he pulled the fish up. Sitting next to him, Seifer scowled.

"How in the hell did you do that?" he asked. "Five fishes in half an hour?" the gunblader glared at his rod. "Am I in the wrong place?"

"Like I tell ya, sonny," the old man said after throwing the fish into his full bucket. "Ya gotta understand what fish wants, that's all."

"What, to be ensnared and killed by you?" Seifer glanced to his own empty bucket. "Damn it."

The old man patted Seifer's shoulder as he sat back on his old creaky stool. "Remember, boy, fifty Gil a piece. Ya barely make anything for days."

Here he thought he was getting the best deal. Seifer peered to the centre of the Fisherman's Horizon. On top of a circular satellite, a small figure hopped and flailed about, holding a hammer and more likely something else deadly in her other hand. Technicians all around her were laughing at something she said. The small figure crouched and focused on something on the satellite. Seifer didn't have to look to know a certain sniper was having a jolly good time in the FH inn, smiling and greeting any weary tourist on transit to other continents. The inn host took one look at him, shook her head and said she had no need for a grump. A grump! Seifer could be charming if he wanted to!

Instead, without any mechanical skill or the supposed charm that Selphie and Irvine had, he had imposed on Flo and the Mayor for days, until Flo was tired of his scowl, his bad tea habit and his refusal to take off his coat indoors and pushed him to the direction of a dock.

Seifer looked down and flipped the page of the 'Occult Fan III' that he took from the old man's cabin. What was this crap? To think that anyone was willing to pay for something like this; when they didn't have the money or food for themselves. They had to store their weapons inside the Mayor's house when they arrived and somewhat forcibly escorted to Flo, something along the lines of 'peace and love for everyone'. Selphie had never looked so happy. The two men were just confused as hell.

There would be no boat to Balamb until they could scour enough money.

"Seify!"

The little technician ran to the dock, almost slipped on a wet plank, stumbled and crashed against his back. Seifer fell to the front, hands on the wet dock to steady himself. The metal rod dropped to the ocean, the sad glint waved goodbye to him as it drowned to the bottom of the blue sea.

"…What now?" Seifer said.

Selphie glanced down. "Did you just drop something?"

"…Just tell me what."

"Oh! You'll never guess who just arrived here!" Selphie patted his back. "Come on, we've got to meet him!"

Seifer didn't have to go. He stood up, turned to the direction of the Mayor's house and saw the grey hair, stern posture and tired face of Galbadia Garden headmaster walking towards them, Irvine sheepishly in tow.

"Unless he has a boat and we can go with him," Seifer kicked his empty bucket out of his way and moved Selphie to the side. "I'm out of here."

"Hey, hey, don't forget!" said the old man as his employee sprint into his cabin. "That rod and the bait were a thousand fifty! Now what are ya gonna pay me with?"

"Almasy!" the voice he didn't want to hear, now thunderous in the air behind him. "Almasy! Come here! Give me your status report!"

-x-

-x-

"Oh, no. You are banned from this area."

Rinoa looked up from the bed where she lay on.

"I'm injured."

Her eyes widened, Rinoa moved to the edge of the bed and peeked out from the curtain. "Squall?"

Squall straightened his form and dropped his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Let me see that," Dr. Kadowaki said, taking Squall's hand and peered over it. "Just a small Grat slash. You didn't come here even when the T-Rexaur bit you in your bottom."

Squall glanced around. "Things change." He noticed the drawn curtain on the far end of the clinic.

"I will give you a medicine," the doctor said, "so you can go _right back to your room_ and apply it on yourself."

"That's not necessary, doctor!" said Rinoa. She hopped down the bed. "If you're busy, I'll tend to his wound!" She smiled and walked around the curtain. "Sit here, Squall!"

Squall looked to the doctor, who retreated to her desk and her documents, then to Rinoa who pulled the curtain back. He peered down, to the side where the drawn curtain was, and stepped little by little to the bed next to Rinoa.

"There you go!" Rinoa fetched the bandages and antiseptic solution next to the bed. "Let's see, where did you injure yourself?"

Squall studied his hand, and with some hesitation, showed the bleeding wound to Rinoa.

"Oh, wow," Rinoa said. "That looks painful." She frowned. "I didn't remember you getting hurt when we're done with the monsters?"

"I—" Squall glanced to the doctor, who pretended she was not in the room. "—didn't."

"You didn't realize? Oh, Squall," Rinoa said. She touched the wound gingerly. "Hmm. I'm going to clean it up and then wrap it up! You're going to be fine," she said. Squall stared down at his hand.

"…Yeah."

Rinoa smiled at Squall, who didn't look up from his hand. She looked at the medicine table and said to the doctor, "I'm going to fetch some clean water from the bathroom."

The doctor smiled and said to Squall as the girl left the clinic, "I know young love is powerful, but really, you shouldn't have a hard time just to be near your girlfriend."

Squall blinked.

"I mean, it's admirable that you managed to get hurt in the only place in your hand where you will not have any problem wielding your gunblade later, but you should just ask her out in the first place. It's not like she'll say no."

Squall stared at the doctor as if he didn't understand anything that came out from her mouth. He folded his arms, uncaring about his wound and said, "Whatever."

The doctor gave him an amused smile and stared down to her paper.

Squall stood up, walked to the drawn curtain on the corner and slid inside.

"Hey, hey, don't bother her," he heard the doctor said.

"I won't carry her out."

"Don't wake her if she's sleeping too."

"…Whatever." Squall peered in. Quistis sighed and turned to look at him. She lay on the bed, in a new hospital gown, both arms frozen on her side.

"What now?" she asked as Squall excused himself inside the curtain.

Squall looked down to her arms. He pushed his own hand back, hiding his wound from view. Quistis just stared at him as if she knew what was going on.

"You really don't have to find a reason just to get in here and talk to Rinoa," she said. "What if you get really hurt and can't wield your gunblade anymore?"

"I wasn't—" Squall trailed off. He motioned to her arms with another hand. "How're your arms?"

"I don't know," she said. "Perhaps I can get the full functions on both back after the rehab." She stopped and looked at the wall. "…Perhaps not."

Squall didn't want to ask about her next move if she couldn't get her arms functions back. He knew she would. Something like this would only hold Quistis Trepe for a few weeks at most. She would be able to hold her whip…

"Your whip," he said. Quistis looked at him, brow raised. "I can clean it."

"What?"

"It's leather," Squall said. "I know how to clean leather."

Quistis frowned. "So did I… it's my whip."

"You can't clean it right away." Squall looked at her. "The longer the stain stays…"

Quistis gave a tired groan. "Yeah, I taught that class. I know." Squall waited until she looked at him. "Are you sure it's fine for you to clean my whip? Is it not imposing?"

Why would cleaning a whip be imposing? "It's fine."

"Sorry about this. I should just ask someone else to clean it. I mean, Nida knows how to clean my weapon too…" Quistis murmured. "I should just ask—"

"I will do it," he said, almost gruffly.

Quistis smiled. "You do like leather that much?"

"What?"

"Never mind." Quistis frowned. "I think Nida's friend took my belongings to my room… you should ask him if he can get my whip from the bundle. His name is Jack."

"Nida is a transfer," he said before he could stop himself.

"…So?"

_How did you know him and his friends so much? How did you know Nida know how to clean your weapon? How did… How did… How do I say this…_

"Whatever," he said in the end. "I'll get your whip."

Quistis smiled at him. "Thank you so much for this."

Squall pushed the curtain as he made his way out. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Squall glanced at her. "For saving my life."

Quistis's smile faded. "I was doing my mission."

Squall looked away and closed the curtain behind him. He walked to the door and almost crashed against Rinoa who was holding a small basin full of water.

"Oops!" She smiled. "That was close!" She put the basin on the table and turned back to see Squall vanished from the infirmary. "…Huh?"

-x-

-x-

He gave an impressive whistle from under his brand new hat, his body relaxed against the warm set of planks underneath him. Next to him, Martine snorted and took the last sip of his cognac.

"Mobile Garden," said Irvine, his eyes closed. "I should be there."

"What, so you could run faster than all those wimps?" Martine shook his bottle and peered into the clear glass under the sun. He groaned and flung the bottle far into the sea.

"Hey, no spoiling here," said Irvine without lifting his hat. "Flo'll smack you up. You gotta pick it up."

"Make me."

"You're not exactly a good swimmer, Dad." Irvine waited for the next slurred reply. When nothing came, he pushed the hat up a bit and peeked. "So, what now?"

"Nothing for me." Martine looked at the wide sea. Irvine thought it was impossible for someone to look so much older in just a few days. "Nothing left."

"Well, you just gave your last cash to me, which, by the way, thanks, Dad." It meant nothing in the end, when they heard Balamb Garden vanished from its spot.

Selphie had almost cried before the ex-headmaster assured her that it didn't mean the missile hit the Garden. Balamb Garden really disappeared. No trace. Martine knew nothing about it, until the day he was escorted out of his own Garden by some of his instructors. When he looked back, he couldn't believe it at first. He knew nothing about his red Garden capabilities of actually flying on the air. The last time he saw it, the Garden floated above the train station, almost crashing against the moving train.

I need a drink, Seifer said. Flo gave him tea, which earned her a scowl. Selphie took the cup from his hand and gulped it all in one go then complained about the fire on her throat. She didn't look up and the deadly glare of the gunblader wasted on a coughing girl.

Martine had walked out during the ruckus. Irvine followed soon after, to see his adoptive father sitting down and drinking his favorite cognac. When he held out a hand for a sip, Martine handed him his wallet and told him to get off. Therefore, he got the whole Gil off the wallet and pocketed it, which earned him a smack.

"I want to tell you that you still got us," said Irvine, removing his hat from his face. "All three of us. But I don't think it means much right now."

"So don't say it," said the ex-headmaster.

Irvine sighed and stared at the cloud above him.

"What happened to your PCS?" asked Martine a few minutes later.

Irvine took out pieces of the expensive satellite phone from his pocket and showed it to the man. "I dunno when it happened, probably when the soldiers pulled me away and all those dragging down."

Martine pulled his own PCS from his pocket. He stared down at it then handed it to Irvine. "I don't have Trey or Nida's numbers in it. I bought it after they're gone."

Irvine accepted the PCS with a frown. This was weird. "Why'd you give all this to me?" His face grew pale. "Shit. Shit. No."

Martine frowned and glanced at his sniper.

"No!" Irvine lunged and hugged Martine as tight as he could. "No!"

"What the—"

"Don't jump! No! I still need you! Although you're hot tempered and a bad father and an angry teacher and ugly all season and… well…" Irvine shut his eyes, tightening his hold. "Please don't jump! No!"

"Get off me, you brat!" His kind conscience earned him a hard deck on his temple. "After all that why would I want to die _now_?"

"So much for a fatherly embrace," Irvine spat out while massaging his head. Martine snorted, fixing his suit. Why did someone want to wear a grey double-breasted suit with a full gold button-set, white silk tie and platinum tie adornment to sit on the wooden dock of Fisherman Horizon, only the man knew.

"I can't rely on those two anymore." Martine buttoned his suit. "It's not like they had any more connection to me than being children on my care once."

Irvine frowned, wanting to say something about it but then decided to shut his mouth. The two probably would be glad to hear it, and it would be better for him not to tell the ex-headmaster about the two still cared and worshipped the grounds he walked on.

"So that leaves you."

He should know this would happen. Irvine glanced to the back, wishing Seifer and Selphie ran out now and barreled him, probably to the sea ahead or to the metal floor in front of them, giving him a good wide berth to get out of the hole he had just dug.

"Kino," Martine said. "I want you to—"

"Look what Seify got for me! Look!" Selphie launched out of the door, the said door slammed against the wall next to it in a loud crash. "Irvy, I got your Card!"

"Watch it!" said Flo.

"Sorry about that," said Seifer. He walked out of the house and closed the door. "But I'm not gonna pay for it even if it's broken."

"Oh, heyyy…" Irvine accepted the Card from Selphie. "Whoa. I look good in this."

Martine stared at the Card. "So she's trading it here."

"You're really the one who ordered my Card?" Irvine grinned. "The Queen did say she gave it to Flo. Can't believe you guys still remembered it," he said, looking up to the two.

"I don't want to remember, but somehow the tea talk turns to a speech about the Queen of Cards." Seifer shrugged. "Gotta get back to work. Hey, don't give it to him."

"Why not? It's my Card."

"But Seify got it for me," said Selphie, taking the Card from the sniper. "I'll show it to you anytime, Irvy. Gotta go fishing now. See ya!" Irvine only saw a blur of yellow following the grey trench coat to the far end dock.

"You've met Solange?" Martine asked. He watched Irvine's face. "So?"

Irvine raised one brow. "So what?"

After a strange staring battle, Martine groaned. "So nothing."

"You're always this weird or are these new symptoms I have to be aware of?"

Martine shook his head. "Ironic."

"What? Ironic what?"

"Listen." Martine gripped the sniper's coat. "Listen."

The sniper moved closer. "…I'm listening."

"Get my Garden back for me."

The sniper opened his mouth. "…How?"

"How should I know?" Martine pushed his sniper away. "Think about it."

"Yeah, but how?"

"No, I mean, you have to think about how to get me my Garden back."

"I would get you your Garden back if I know how."

"You have to think about how to do it then do it." Martine stood up and patted his suit from the invincible dirt. "I'm going to take my semi-retirement here until you do. Make sure you do it fast." He turned and headed into the Mayor's house.

Irvine closed his eyes. Suddenly he was exhausted.

-x-

-x-

"Nooo!"

Squall waited until Jack looked up from the floor where he was kneeling with one leg. He looked around. The cadets and janitors were too busy cleaning up to care about a boy and the gunblader playing a Card game in front of the directory right in the middle of the hall.

Jack moaned, shook his head and stood up. He gave Squall a sad smirk. "So that's it then." He motioned to the set of Cards in his hand. "Go get your prize."

Squall took three level 7 Card, then waited until Jack placed the rest in his box. "Well?"

Jack looked at him. "Well what?"

"The card?"

"I just gave you the Card. I'm not gonna play again. You can go find Club if you want to move up the ranks."

What rank? Squall found Jack only to find that he wouldn't say any word other than, "It's time!" and then they were somehow engaged in a Card battle. Squall didn't mind that part, but he didn't come here for a Card game, as surprising as it was.

"Not this," said Squall. "Qui—instructor Trepe's card."

Jack frowned. "You're jumping to that? Hey, that's skipping so many levels. You can't do that! You have to move up the ranks first!"

"What rank?" Squall put his hand on his hip. "You delivered instructor's belongings into her room. I want the room card."

Jack was speechless. He gave a strange laugh. "I—uh, okay. I thought—you know, um."

Squall waited.

"Okay. Sorry about that, this morning's brawls must've gotten to me or something." Jack pulled a room card from his breast pocket. "You've got permission from Quistis, right?"

Squall narrowed his eyes. "That's instructor Trepe for you."

"Nah, she's Quistis." The cadet waved his hand and gave the card to Squall with another. "We know each other for so long, she's never the instructor."

Ignoring tense nerve in his jaw, Squall took the card. "Who is Club?"

"The next rank, of course." Jack realized something. "Don't tell me you came to me because you want the room card and not… ah, I'm such a fool." He grimaced and scratched his head. "Okay, so introduction is in order. I'm Jack, from CC club."

CC?

"We're a highly trained Card masters in Garden. There's me, Club, Diamond, Joker, and other members up there. We will agree to battle you once you finish up in one rank. If you can beat us, you will get our duplicate rank until you agree to let it go. So now you're Jack number 4."

Squall placed Quistis's card into his pocket. "What do I get?"

"As Jack? Not much, and you're just a number four." Jack shrugged. "I aim to go up the rank myself once I'm a SeeD. Once you become a King, you can get the entire rare Card compliment for a King. You can challenge everyone in Gaia and nobody will ever refuse if you show your badge. If you lose to a King, you lose it all. No ranks until you climb up again. There's never a number two King, so if you beat the King," Jack said with a chuckle, "that never happens, by the way, the previous King will lose it all. So it's the final Card battle where you challenge with everything you got."

"And this King… he's in the Garden?"

"Hmm. Yeah, pretty much. Don't think about it right now, you can just go slowly with the ranks. It'll be some time before you even see the King. The King's in a rest." Jack probably had said too much. "I mean, with nobody ever challenge the King. I gotta go."

Squall watched Jack sprint to the elevator. He didn't plan to find this club. With nothing much to do, he probably could try to find other members. If Jack himself has level 7 Cards, then others above him should have much better Cards. Maybe he could even get character Cards. Like those Trepies in the cafeteria boasting about having instructor's Card…

Squall's eyes widened.

-x-

-x-

The doctor nodded with a satisfied look on her face. She pressed Quistis's wrist and held it down.

"Now try the middle finger."

Quistis tried. Her middle finger twitched.

"This is good." The doctor sat straighter, releasing her hold on the instructor's hand. "This is before the rehab. I think there will be no problem for you to get your arms functions back once we're done with the whole programs."

For the first time in days, Quistis closed her eyes in relief.

"We still need to go slow with the program. No need to rush on anything, let the wound heals itself first." The doctor stood and moved to her desk. "You're very lucky. I rarely seen anyone able to get themselves healed without the help of magic nowadays. And to think you're not even junctioned to GF when you got injured." She frowned. "I don't think I've ever seen you junctioned?"

Quistis did junction to GF occasionally, but she didn't like it. It felt like the GF tried to crawl into her and take over her consciousness when she had them. She didn't think it was normal for any GF to do that, but she couldn't pinpoint why she felt unsafe with GF junction. The last GF she had, Shiva, cooed, coddled and called her the 'High Mistress', 'My Empress', 'Ruler of Our World' and behaved so unlike Shiva she knew from the book. It was weird. So weird that she ended up listing the GF to cadet training and under Squall Leonhart's name. She was sure Shiva didn't act that way to Squall, because he would have thrown the GF back into his computer slot.

So it was down time for her. Quistis never had a vacation in years. Now her vacation included two rehab programs a day, until she could move her arms as she used to. Then back to work. She should just order a ticket to Deling City and tour the Galbadian continent or something. Although if she did that right now, she'll be arrested when she stepped down the train, and back to the D-Prison. She'd rather stay here.

A knock on the door. Quistis looked up from the bed. Cid smiled at the doctor and glanced to her bed.

"Am I interrupting something? Can I come in?"

"Come in, Cid." The doctor waved.

Cid walked in, hands in his pocket. He looked around. There were only the three of them in the clinic. "Slow time, doc?"

"Aside from a kid I banned from ever coming again until Quistis is healed and an emergency nurse who come and go as she pleases, yes."

Cid chuckled as he headed to her bed. He sat on the high stool. "How are you feeling?"

With or without drugs? "I'm fine."

Cid gave a vague nod. "I was thinking if you can start doing something for me. It's not something that requires your arm control."

Seriously?

"Or, if you rather just stay in here until you get a lot better, it'll be fine too." Cid shrugged. "I think you're not the type who likes to lie and sleep all day with nothing to do."

"Yes," Quistis said in a rush. "Yes, I'd like to work. If you're okay with someone who can't move much right now, I can work."

Cid smiled. "I'd like your mission report first, if that's okay with you?" Seeing her excited nod, he stood. "Although seeing that you did sacrifice yourself in order to finish what Martine told you to, I'd like to think your missions, both of them, were a success. But let's talk about this in my office." He turned to the doctor. "If that's okay, I'm going to bring the instructor to my office right now."

The doctor sighed. "Her legs are fine. Just… please make sure you hold on to her until she's good to stand on her own."

Cid smiled. "You're not going to ban me from your clinic for this?"

"As much as I'd like to, she's willing to go with you. Make sure you come back tonight, Quis. I have to monitor you for the night before you're free to go tomorrow."

"Thank you—" Quistis almost fell when her legs swayed under her. The headmaster grabbed her shoulder and steadied her. "Thanks, doc. I'll be back soon."

-x-

-x-

_This should be it._ Squall pulled the whip from a bundle carelessly placed on the bed. He looked over the leather whip, noticed that the blood had dried, and rough cracks formed on the surface of the smooth black leather. _I should come here earlier. This will be hard to clean._

He did in a way try to come into Quistis's room earlier. He had to find Club first, and his suspicions were correct. The man who was walking from the cafeteria, the one he often bumped into when he had to rush, were a Trepie who regularly boasted about his Card in the corner of the cafeteria. He was also Club, and now Squall owned Quistis's Card. Club found it personal offense to battle with his dear Trepe's Card, and wouldn't do it until Squall offered him two Cards in his own series, the Brothers and Ifrit's Cards. Club was arrogant, and thinking that he could win with just a character Card and all level 7 Cards was the start of his demise.

Squall wouldn't do the same. He wouldn't battle with Quistis's Card no matter how much Club cried and begged. It was foolish to think someone would win with just a character Card. Plus he thought Quistis's Card was badly made. One of her eyes was smaller, squinty, and the hair color wasn't right. Hers weren't this yellow, and it was shinier under the sun. Her nose looked weird in the Card and her lips too wide. He found it his own personal offense to battle with a Card that looked nothing like the real person. Then he had to run from the cafeteria because Club tried to assault him under the immense stress of losing.

With Quistis' Card wrapped in a special Card plastic, tucked in the bottom of his Card box, Squall had entered the room. Jack sure didn't care much for her belongings, what with all spread on her bed. Quistis' orange backpack placed near her pillow. He didn't remember looking at it when she was with them on Galbadia Garden. Perhaps someone delivered it to Balamb. The top was unlocked and the contents scattered on the bed. After curling the whip and tying it to his belt, Squall started collecting them and placed them one by one into her backpack. Mirror, compass, small Galbadian map, two tent frames, the mini canvas tent, flashlights, comb, pressed powder, a tube of balm for leather, gloves… Then he saw the open letter. It was without a doubt Quistis's handwriting. Neat and carefully arranged, like her writings on the whiteboard.

_Dear Mr. Cid Kramer_

_With this letter, I would like to resign from my position as an instructor and active SeeD in Balamb Garden. I need a change—_

-x-

-x-

-x-

-x-

* * *

_**To be continued…**_


	27. Now How Do We Get Out?

**Chapter 27**

**Now How Do We Get Out?**

-x-

-x-

It was as if every monster in the Training Centre wanted to take out their ire at them. Zell didn't have to walk for long before he and Rinoa killed their fifteenth Grats, and she had stocked up on quite a bit of magic.

In the middle of the bridge, Zell spotted two men standing by. Both looked familiar. One man noticed him and waved. Another, who was apparently Squall, saw him and turned, leaving into the deeper part of the Training Centre.

"Hey, is that…?" Rinoa asked beside him. "Hey, Squall!"

The gunblader kept walking. At the corner, he turned and entered the Secret Area.

"Why didn't he stop?" Rinoa huffed. "I haven't seen him for days."

Stopping not far from the man on the bridge, the martial artist asked his companion, "So what do we have right now?"

Rinoa hummed, her eyes closed. Zell had to teach her how to talk to GF without closing her eyes. If she were out in the field alone, some monster would already take advantage of her lack of focus. Speaking of which, why did Squall run? Why did Zell have to accompany Rinoa to stock up on magic by himself? The gunblader was AWOL from any kind of team arrangement after the Garden went mobile ten days ago. Zell didn't see him even in the laundry room at 0200. He usually could find the gunblader midweek, with shoulders hunched down staring at the washing machine and avoiding any kind of possible conversation anyone might want to start with him, or at the cafeteria every day at 0617, ordering something that included fish and vegetables before running away to his dorm with a packed meal on his tail.

Even Cid asked him if he ever saw Squall again, because the headmaster couldn't find him in the class on the second floor on day 4 in his usual browsing hour. He was always there around midday when everyone was having lunch, his eyes scanning the Garden news, the new Card list of the week, and any accidents in the world that might turn out as a SeeD mission later. This was starting to scare Zell. Someone as boring and predictable as Squall shouldn't be able to disappear that easily.

Zell hadn't tried knocking on Squall's room because even if the gunblader were there, he wouldn't open the door anyway. Zell needed some emergency reason to knock, and there was none now. Fearing that the man might be dead wasn't a good enough reason for him to ask the Garden Faculty, who was now even rarer to be seen anywhere than the gunblader. He had reminded himself to visit Squall this afternoon, but now it was unnecessary.

"I think I have more than enough Cure, Fira and Sleep right now." Rinoa opened her eyes.

Zell nodded. "You really shouldn't close your eyes in the field full of monsters, you know."

"Why not? You're with me. The gentleman's with me," said Rinoa, indicating the man who was now leaning on the bridge. The man stared at her, amusement on his face.

"So I bet you're not a SeeD," said the man. "Hey, Zell."

"So we've met before?" Zell frowned. "I do remember your face."

"Remember the D-Prison?"

"Huh? Hey! You're the item guy! Joker!" Zell shook the man's hand. "You're a SeeD too? How'd you get out of there?"

"Thanks to your team, I managed to get away," said Joker. "Speaking of which, was that your friend?"

"That depends. What did he do?"

"Nothing bad. He won Leviathan from me, so I offered to update his battle meter and informed him about the rank. He said you have the battle meter. May I see it?"

Zell removed the medallion from his neck. Joker accepted the medallion and flipped the cover to read the numbers. "What rank are you talking about?"

"Hmm," Joker said with an easy smile. "It doesn't matter. There can only be two Jokers, so he's not going to climb up by defeating me anyway… Okay, I'm going to work on this so later you can defeat the monsters and have their numbers automatically entered into the meter. I'll give it back when I'm done."

Zell frowned as Joker walked away. Rinoa tilted her head, watching the man leave.

"Well?" she asked.

"I'm so confused." Zell gestured to the Secret Area. "I think we need to confront Squall together. He's great at playing hide and seek since nobody really needs to find him."

Leaning against the railing, Squall really wished Zell and Rinoa didn't follow him. He heard the door opened and knew his hope was in vain. He placed Leviathan in the GF series of his collection and closed the box, not looking up.

"Where were you, man?" Zell walked towards him while he pocketed the Card box. "Nobody got to see you for days!"

"Squall, why did you leave when I returned to the infirmary?" Rinoa chimed in behind the martial artist. "How's your wound? It's not infected, isn't it?"

Squall gave Zell a blank stare. "Why are you two here?"

"What? Why are _you_ here?" asked Zell, crossing his arms. He saw Squall's face and blinked. "Are you okay?"

"We're collecting magic," said Rinoa. She leaned on the railing next to him, smiling to the gunblader. "Do you want to join us?"

Squall didn't look at her. Instead, he turned his attention to Zell. "Have you given your mission report to the headmaster?"

"A day after we arrived. What is this, Squall?" Zell focused on his eyes. "Why are you upset?"

_Upset_? Squall stared at his ex-roommate. "I am not upset."

"You're definitely upset. What now? Who are you angry with? Did someone steal your 'whatever' thing from you? Was it the Garden Faculty?"

Rinoa leaned closer. She didn't see anything wrong from Squall's expression. He was leaning on the railing, gunblade propped on his thigh, his shoulder relaxed and his eyes straight at Zell. "Are you angry? You don't look angry. With who? Me? Did I do something wrong, Squall?" She reached out and held Squall's arm. The man jerked against her touch and moved away, holding his gunblade. Rinoa's eyes widened. "It's me, right? What did I do? Can we talk about it?" She followed Squall out of the Secret Area. "Squall? Why won't you talk to me? What did I do?"

"Nothing." Squall couldn't move any faster. The two tailed him out of the Training Centre, heedless of any Grat creeping behind them. "Leave me alone."

"Squall! I don't know what I was doing wrong!" Rinoa wished he would just turn around and tell her what was wrong. Why did he avoid her? "Please talk to me!"

Squall broke into a run. He turned sharp in the main hall, running into the dorm.

"He's mad." Zell stopped next to Rinoa, who looked wary. "He's not usually that upset about anything."

"I can't see it." Rinoa should have known he was avoiding her. "I don't remember what I did…?"

_Why don't you just do it? Why don't you just show up and admit it?_

Entering his room, Squall headed into the bathroom and picked up the curled whip near the sink, then walked out. The whip was rough and cracked in his hand, the dried blood and stains were no less than it was ten days ago. In fact, after so many washes and handling when it was wet, the surface of the whip had torn apart here and there, showing many knots inside the skin.

He couldn't name this emotion the first time he realized what he had done to it. He had ruined this lithe, slim and beautiful leather under his rough care. He wanted to punch the wall, to apologize, to ask, but all he did was stare. Then he dumped the whip into the basin, poured more solution and scrubbed. Again.

_"I, Quistis Trepe, am no longer an instructor as of now!__"_

That was a bluff. He heard nothing about it before they went to the Secret Area, and it was impossible to escape the Trepies gossiping right into his ear. They were everywhere.

_"I'm a member of SeeD now, just like you."_

If that were it, he would treat her the way he treated a colleague he didn't really care for.

_"Who knows, maybe we'll end up working together."_

So why now? Was there something in her apparent lies that he didn't catch? Was there something she said that he didn't listen to, that was too obvious, meant to rile him up, to see what he would say, that he had missed?

_Squall picked up the whip again. This time, the tip split. He pressed the broken skin together, trying to mend it in panic. He released the whip. It fell into the basin as he closed his eyes and pressed wet palms to his face, taking a deep breath._

Suffocating.

He knocked this time. He'd slipped the room card into the infirmary and walked away nine days ago, not wishing to meet or to talk to anyone.

The door opened and he saw the man inside, who was puzzled to see him. He hid the whip behind him with one hand. He knew there would be a helper in her room until she was fully capable of doing things by herself, but why did it have to be this one?

"Who's it, Nida?"

Nida said, "I think Leonhart wants to see you, Q." He stepped back, inviting the gunblader into a place he had seen and been in days ago.

Squall tucked the whip behind him, half in his pants, covered with his jacket. He saw Quistis sit in her chair. She was in a plain T-shirt and short jeans, hands placed one over another on her lap. Her hair was untied, straight blond tresses falling past her shoulders and stopped right over her waist. She had a slight blue—no, navy—highlight on her left fringe. Her face was bare of makeup, clean and relaxed.

"Leonhart," she said. "Hi. What's up?"

He should remember when exactly she had stopped calling him by his first name. He stood rigid on his feet, studying her hands. There were colours on it. He hadn't noticed it before.

"Your nails are pink," he said.

Quistis laughed, and Squall heard Nida chuckle behind him. The helper walked to the table, picked up the nail polish and shook it in his hand. "See? I told you anyone's going to notice."

"I'm really letting you do this only until I can move them again," said Quistis when Nida kneeled in front of her. He hummed, placed his arm on her lap, in front of her hands and began painting the last bare nail on her pinky. "What will anyone think if they saw me, paralysed with pink nails?"

"It's pretty, though," said Nida. "When it's dry I'm going to paste some paper on it. You know that white patterned paper?"

"Like the one we used in children' class?"

"It's going to look like a white cloud over a pink sky. It'll look good."

"So while I'm unable to stop you, you're going to experiment all over me?" Quistis tilted her head, her navy highlight shined under the bulb. "You can't seem to finish what you started. It's supposed to be both sides, not one. I look like someone just splattered nursery paint on me!"

"It makes your eyes shine super blue. You don't need two, you're already gorgeous." Nida looked up and grinned. Quistis huffed and rolled her eyes.

"You're too good with words. So, what are you doing…" Quistis looked up. Squall had left, the door opened wide in his rather rushed departure. "…What was he doing here in the first place?"

"I think he must've gotten bored since we didn't talk to him." Nida went and closed the door. "Although, what should we talk about with him?"

"I'm not in the mood to do a monologue about mission or Card." Quistis gave a slight twitch of her fingers, something she could do as soon as she was done with her second rehab program. Her other progresses were slow, but she wasn't in any hurry. "Hey, nail."

"All right, all right."

He didn't hear his own ragged breathing. He only cared about how fast his boots could take him up. He escaped the hall, pushed a group of people waiting for the elevator and entered on time. He didn't hear the curses and angry shouts. He left the elevator on the second floor, sprinted to the end of the hall and burst the emergency door open.

The blue, calm sky greeted him. He walked to the balcony railing, hove the whip out and hurled the leather into the ocean. Along with the loss of the broken leather in his hand, he felt a surge of something rose through him, making him gritting his teeth and wanting it to go. Disappear. It was unwelcome. Then he saw the pink, and the navy. The colours seemed to mock him, twirling in the sky. He saw the gleaming locks of blonde hair. He had to look down and focused on his familiar old boots.

So they wanted to play _this way_?

_Fine. _He uncurled his tense fist. _New plan._

-x-

-x-

The technician didn't look so sure. He showed the heavy Spike Orbs in his hand. "So… you want to trade this," he said to Seifer, "with all the fishes you got in there?"

Seifer nodded, standing in front of the technician with a bucket full of fish next to him. The bucket and the man were staring at the technician with hard resolution; the fishes inside the bucket, not so much. "Is that fine with you?"

"Fine?" The technician shoved Spike Orbs into Seifer's waiting hand. "Hell, I got tons of them! It's more than fine!" He bent down and took the bucket. "I'm getting out of here before you change your mind."

Seifer still studied the Spike Orbs in his hand when Selphie skipped out of the inn, hammer and old fanny pack in her hand. She looked at the Orbs in his hand and glanced up.

"What's that for?" she asked. Seifer showed her a roll of the Weapon's Monthly magazine in his other hand.

"Follow me," he said.

She did. He stopped in front of the junk shop, signalling for her to go in. The woman inside nodded to Seifer when he stepped in after her.

"This is it, right?" He gave the shopkeeper the Spike Orbs. "I brought the person."

Selphie placed the hammer on the counter when the woman smiled at her.

"Ah, yes," the woman said. "I need to measure your arm and weight."

"Umm… for what?"

"For your new Morning Star, of course."

"My what?" Selphie turned to Seifer, who was flipping the magazine in his hand with a frown. "You ordered a weapon? For me?"

"I saw it at Dobe's house. Your Nunchaku is ancient," he said without looking at her. "You're not good with magic. I'm not going to depend on your GFs. Funny how people around here are willing to trade with fish and Card. Since we're going to be here until I figure out where we should go next, better for you to upgrade your weapon."

Selphie stared at the gunblader. She didn't know what to say.

"It's going to take a few days," said the woman, pulling Selphie's arm to the area behind the counter. "Come here, let me measure you. I need the exact measurement to know the specification of the Morning Star my dad has to make."

Selphie looked at Seifer when the man pushed the entrance ajar. "Seifer! Thank you! I should do something for you too!"

"Great. Build me a jet so I can go anywhere I want," said Seifer. He glanced at her and smirked. "It doesn't really matter. You should be able to strike stronger enemy with something deadlier."

Selphie regarded the man until the door closed, while the woman pushed her to stand above the scale.

**_Why are you so happy anyway?_** Diablos said with a condescending tone. **_It's just a gentlemanly thing to do. A gentleman should be able to decorate his lady as he pleases._**

**Like how you 'decorated' Shiva and she froze you and your gentleman behind for decades? **Ifrit said.

**_Shut up._**

-x-

-x-

"There you are." Zell approached Squall. The gunblader was hunching over his workstation. "What are you doing here? It's not your browsing hour." He sat across from the man. "Oh, yeah, why'd you do that to Rinoa? Did she do something to you?"

Squall had to tear away his gaze from the form on the screen. "Who?"

"Rinoa. She's upset that you avoided her like that." Zell placed his elbow on the computer in front of him. "Are you ok? What are you doing?"

His eyes back to study the form in the Garden website, Squall said, "We can level up our SeeD rank. To have an immediate effect, two or more SeeDs have to apply, and the test is to be observed by any available instructor."

"What's that? SeeD level test?" Zell leaned and read the form. "Hey… this could work. We have enough experience to take this kind of test already, haven't we?"

Squall glanced to the martial artist, who was reading with interest. "Would you?"

"What? Do this? Sure." Zell shrugged and straightened up. "Nothing to lose, right?" He watched Squall clicked on something, and four numbers showed up on the screen. The test hour. "Whoa… wait. Don't tell me you're already putting my name in there before I came here."

"It's this afternoon." Squall logged off and stood up. "Be here, and don't be late."

"Something's wrong with you, man," Zell said, watching the back of his friend disappear behind the door. "You're getting weirder and weirder."

"Hey, Leonhart," said one of the SeeD in the green shirt. He was sitting on the second floor hall. "How's it going?"

Squall nodded to Jacob, the classmate who had given him his first set of Cards years ago. He stopped in his tracks, turned and stared at the man.

Jacob raised his brow. "Yeah?"

"Why do you cover your tattoo?"

Jacob concealed his left hand, hiding the giant band-aid that was decorating the back of his palm. "What tattoo?"

Squall walked closer. He was deep in thought.

Jacob smirked.

"Let's play Cards," said Squall after a while.

The green-shirt SeeD couldn't hide his laughter. He ended up in a rather inelegant snort. "Damn it, busted."

Squall crossed his arms. "You can't, can you?"

"No, I can't," said the Spade, giving the gunblader an amused beam. "But you know that already. It's not the time. Yet."

"I can't find them." Squall shook his head. "It's hard if you just shoved some Cards to me and expected me to find them without any hint."

"I didn't exactly expect you to ever find us," said Jacob. "But… I do have a date tonight with those pretty girls. You know the girls who hang out in front of the board?"

Squall dropped his hands. "Both?"

"Pretty, aren't they? Like a jewel, I say."

"A jewel that's harder than rocks?"

Jacob grinned. Squall nodded and said, "Thanks," as he ambled to the elevator.

-x-

-x-

Irvine tucked the corner of the sheet under the bed. He sighed and picked up the old sheet from the floor, when familiar vessels in the window gained his attention. The sniper leaned to the window and saw Galbadian ships sailing towards the small town.

"What… again?" he murmured. There was a noise from the first floor. The door to the room opened.

"Kino!" Martine appeared. "Go change your clothes!"

Irvine switched his attention to the man. "Now?"

"Get Dobe's clothes from Flo! Go! Hurry!"

Irvine dropped the bed sheet and ran past his father.

He was halfway to Flo's house when he saw Selphie and Seifer running from the far dock. They saw him.

"What's going on?" the sniper asked when Seifer barged into the house.

"Damn it, damn it," was what the man said. He ran up the stairs and dashed past Flo, who was sitting in the centre of the room, hands holding her cup of tea. She was staring at them with trepidation.

"It can't be, right?" the woman asked. "It can't be what I think it is…?"

Seifer yanked open the closet, pulled whatever he could grab, and threw them at Selphie.

"Go change now!" he said. "Damn soldiers. I thought this place was supposed to be safe!"

Just then, they heard someone talking. The voice was so loud, Irvine wouldn't be surprised if they used the vessel's amplifier.

**-Fisherman's Horizon's residents, this is a Captain speaking. From now on, the town of Fisherman Horizon is under Galbadian command. Do not be wary. We will not harm anyone as long as you follow the rule. I repeat…-**

-x-

-x-

Zell drummed on the workstation and swayed his feet under him. "Wonder who's going to be the instructor," he said to Squall. "This better be fast though, I got to go to the cafeteria or those rats are going to eat my hot dogs before me."

Squall browsed on his workstation, ignoring Zell.

"Why do you want to get up the rank, Squall?" Zell asked after drumming some peculiar rhythm. "Are you saving for something?" He saw Squall glance at the door. "Are you going to buy something for Rinoa?"

Squall turned to him. "Why?"

"Just asking. I think you need to talk to her. She was in front of your room earlier, but she said you didn't open the door."

Squall wasn't in his room all day. He shrugged.

"She waited quite a long time. I'm sure you knew about that. You two really need to make whatever this is gone before we return to Timber."

Just as Squall faced the boy, the door slid open. The two SeeDs stared at their test instructor.

"Sorry I'm late." Quistis sauntered to the instructor desk. She was in her SeeD uniform, her face made up with blush and gloss, her hair tied up in a bun, free from any colour but her natural hair. "Are you two ready?"

"Quistis?" Zell said. "Seriously?"

"There's no other instructor who has an open schedule." Quistis sat down and observed the two participants. Squall hunched in front of his computer, bangs hiding his eyes from anyone's view as per his standard sitting position. Zell scratched his head.

"Well… it's just gonna be a test, right? You're not our instructor anymore." Zell turned his computer on. "Okay then. How about your arms?"

"Quite well, thank you. And for the session," Quistis said, "I'm going to be 'Instructor Trepe' or 'Miss Trepe', Mr. Dincht."

Zell's face fell. "Again? We already did this months ago."

"Did what, Mr. Dincht?"

"Uh… nothing, Miss Trepe."

"Okay. For your information…" Quistis didn't bring any paper with her. She was just there to supervise; she didn't need to move her hands for anything. The SeeD test application startled her, though. She hadn't expected them to apply at this time, and to decide to do it on the same day. "My level is 22, so I will be able to supervise you two for tests until you have the same level as me. And so, I expect you two to regard me as an instructor until that time, although officially I do not teach you anymore."

"And after that?"

The two stared at Squall. He looked straight at her. Quistis wondered why he asked that. "Well… after that, I'm no longer the instructor. There is no need for you to regard me as one."

"Is that true?"

"'Course that's true, Squall," said Zell. "After that we probably will get Aki to watch us during the test."

"Instructor Aki, Mr. Dincht."

"Sorry, Miss Trepe."

Squall had never stared straight at her like that. It was awkward, so Quistis looked down and pretended to read the turned-off computer screen. "So, let's get started…" She looked up when Squall walked to her. "Yes?" He bent down, turned the computer on and stood. "Oh… uh… thanks."

"Where's your helper?" he asked.

"Nida's on the meeting with Cid."

"After this you should get back to your room. Do you have anyone to open your door?"

"Um—I can ask someone nearby to do it."

Squall gazed at her. Quistis locked her eyes on the screen. "I'll do it."

"What?" She glanced up. "No, I—you don't have to."

"I will." He turned back and headed to his workstation. Quistis could only stare.

"Oh, come on, Squall." Zell grimaced. "I know you want to avoid Rinoa, but you really can't avoid her forever. What if she camps out in front of your room?"

Squall sat down, as if he didn't hear any of it. Quistis focused on the computer screen. She didn't care for the desktop picture, but she had to look at something and not to a single participant all the time. "Okay, let's get started. The moment you enter your name and number into the page, the timer starts."

-x-

-x-

"It's hard." Zell logged off and said to Quistis, "I don't know many answers."

Regardless of how tired she felt, she found herself smiling at him. "It's designed so you will be able to answer as you travel and find more solutions in your mission."

"I don't think I'm gonna go up the ranks that much." Zell stood up and stretched. "What about you, Squall?"

The gunblader logged off, looked at the instructor and said, "I won't climb up a lot."

"I knew it," said Zell as he followed the man walking to the front.

"Don't be so down." Quistis stood up without much difficulty. "You can take the tests over and over again as many times as you want."

_Good._

Squall waited in front of her desk. The instructor glanced at the door and to the gunblader. When he didn't make a move to leave after Zell left, she sighed. "All right."

They left the classroom and strolled to the elevator. The SeeD who often hung around the hall, Jacob, gave a pointed look to Squall and said, "You find it amusing to walk around me now that I lost, huh?"

"Get over yourself," said Squall. "I was on a test."

Jacob snorted. "Right. Hi, Quistis."

Quistis smiled at the man as they walked past him. She looked up at Squall, at his inscrutable expression. "Card? Jace is an excellent Card player."

There was a gleam in his eyes. Something she hadn't seen earlier… or ever. "You play Card with him?"

"Of course." She had to downplay the real reason they battled each other, but she did know the man's capabilities. "He's really good."

There was a frown forming between his brows. "We have to play together."

That was against the rule. "No, I can't."

He went still. She had to turn back and look at his hardened expression. "Why not?" he asked, his voice low.

"I… I can't." She smiled, trying to soothe him. When he didn't return the smile or lose the heat in his eyes, her smile wilted. "…Sorry about that, but I can't. I…"

"You play Card with 'Jace', but not me," Squall said, pacing next to her. "Why?"

"The door's open," Quistis said quickly. She stepped faster and slid into the elevator. Squall entered and pressed the first floor button.

He exhaled and glanced at her. When she didn't return the stare, he said, "What time is your rehab program today?"

"Now, actually," she said, relieved by the change of topic. Card was a dangerous theme. "That's why you don't have to—"

"I was about to go to the infirmary anyway."

"…Oh," she said. "For what?"

He looked at her. "A Grat bit me in the ass."

Quistis stared at him. A laugh bubbled up in her when he didn't change his expression at all. "That's good! That's really something."

"You find it interesting that I'm attacked by a Grat?"

She leaned on the wall and chuckled. Squall turned to the door when it opened, but she could catch the amusement in his eyes. She couldn't believe someone like him actually could say something amusing—and two Garden Faculties walked in. Her grin withered when she realized they walk towards her. Squall raised an arm and halted them from crowding over her.

"What's this?" he asked.

One of the Garden Faculty looked down at the obstructing arm and snapped his head at Squall, but something in the expression of the SeeD stopped him. Instead, the Garden Faculty twisted his attention to Quistis.

"Instructor no. 14, Quistis Trepe?"

Quistis didn't really want to stare up and look into the eyes of this Faculty. She always had an inkling that all the Faculty members were actually short and wore these gigantic head decorations and baggy robe to tower over people. She focused on something easy to look at. She observed Squall's arm in front of her. "That I am."

"The Garden Master wishes to see you. Report to the Master's Room right away."

"Where is the Master's Room?" asked Squall.

"It doesn't concern you," said the other Faculty. "You will not go with her." He then said to Quistis, "Right away. You have permission."

_Nobody wants to go there even with permission._ Quistis tried not to scowl before the two Faculties left. Squall didn't drop his arm until the two giant walking robes disappeared. He spun and watched Quistis's face.

"The Garden Master?" he asked.

Quistis gave a noncommittal groan. "I guess I have to go."

"Where?"

"B1." She blinked as Squall pressed the button and the door closed again. "Why didn't you go out? It was the first floor."

Squall didn't answer.

"Leonhart…? Don't you have to go to the infirmary?"

"Don't worry. I already took my revenge."

"Revenge?"

"I bit that Grat in the ass too."

Quistis's mouth opened. "Uh," she said in a halted giggle. "Um… that's… good."

"It wasn't that tasty."

This time, she really couldn't hold back. She closed her eyes, her body shook. "Wh—what are you talking about? It's…" She laughed. "Oh Hyne."

Squall looked up. Looking at the numbers on top of the door, Quistis sobered up.

"You can't go with me," she said.

"I'll wait."

"For what?"

"You'll need someone to press the button up later."

…Well. She probably did. Quistis shrugged, her shoulders flinched from unexpected movements. She hadn't mastered that part yet in her program. "You should wait inside the elevator."

Squall said nothing.

-x-

-x-

-x-

**_To be continued…_**


	28. The Nerve of Some People!

**Chapter 28**

**The Nerve of Some People!**

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Let go of me! I'm not finished!"

The elevator door opened for the two SeeDs. The first thing they saw was the blunt figure of the headmaster sitting on the floor, yelling at a massive form on top of a giant pod with two orbs. Quistis walked out of the elevator, watching as two Faculty members dragged the headmaster up from the floor.

"Greedy son-of-a-bitch! Why did I even bother talking to you!" Cid yelled at the blob on the pod. "SeeDs were brought up for the future! And that future is now! Why can't you understand? I should've never trusted you! I wish I could go back ten or so years. To tell myself that you're nothing but a money grubbing son-of-a-bitch! Then I would've never built this place."

"Headmaster?" murmured Quistis. Cid looked back and grimaced when he saw Quistis.

"Quistis...You heard everything?"

Quistis frowned, watching the man's grim feature. She looked to NORG, the massive blob sitting on top of the pod. The blob waved its flapping limb and the Faculty members dragged the headmaster away. Cid nodded weakly to Squall, who managed to step out of the elevator at the last minute as he was being escorted in. Squall blinked and turned to look at Quistis.

NORG waved its flapping limbs again. Quistis walked closer. "FushifuruFushifuru...Quistis Trepe… GIVE-YOUR-REPORT-ON-THE-SORCERESS."

Squall peered to the four other Faculty members still standing near the pod, forming a frame-like figure to the strange creature in the centre. He felt Quistis's hesitation. Come to think about it, he'd never known Garden Master even existed, and he had resided underground all these times. Squall counted the steps it took to walk back into the elevator, and he remembered they totalled the other elevator on their way to make Garden mobile. He didn't like knowing they only had one way out.

Quistis said, "The main team failed to assassinate Sorceress Edea. Confirmation of Headmaster Cid's order was made at Galbadia Garden. After the sniper from Galbadia Garden joined the main party, the main team set off to carry out the 'Sorceress Assassination' order from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens..."

NORG's blue light on the sphere pod turned red. "Bujurururu! BALAMB-AND-GALBADIA'S-ORDERS!? Bujurururu! YOU-WERE-FOOLED!"

Quistis took a step back. Squall walked forward, hand on his gunblade holster. Two of the Faculty members noticed and shifted closer to the gunblader, earning an intense stare.

"I...don't understand," said Quistis.

"Fushurururu..." NORG turned to one of the Faculty members. "EXPLAIN-TO-THEM."

"Master NORG has known about the alliance between the President of Galbadia and the sorceress. He heard it from the Galbadia Garden master himself."

Quistis pursed her lips. "Martine."

"Yes. In fact the sorceress and Garden are closely connected. That is why the sorceress will definitely try to gain hold of all Gardens. So, Master NORG sent an official order to Galbadia Garden. It was to kill the sorceress. An assassination was thought to be the best means. But..."

NORG raised his flapping arms, and it flopped halfheartedly to the side. "Bujurururu! THAT-SLY-WEASEL-MARTINE-USED-YOU-AS-A-LAST-RESORT- FOR-THE-ASSASSINATION. HE-GAVE-THAT-ORDER-TO-PLACE-THE-BLAME-ON-ME! THAT-THAT-BASTARD."

Quistis held in the urge to roll her eyes. Yep, sounded like Martine all right. "Are you saying that Balamb Garden had nothing to do with that order?"

The Garden Faculty nodded. "You just happened to show up just before the mission was to be carried out. They used you."

"The operation failed."

Another Garden Faculty standing on the back gave a shrug, his massive head robe followed the sway. "The sorceress retaliated. Just as we suspected. No doubt, it was the sorceress who ordered the missile attacks. Something must be done to calm the sorceress' anger."

Now, why didn't it sound so good?

Quistis took a step back. She hit something and turned to see Squall behind her, hands on her shoulder. He was staring at NORG.

"Wait a minute," said Squall. "That's just..."

"In order to do so," the Faculty member continued, "we needed to hand over those involved in the assassination to the sorceress. We had to show Balamb Garden's sincerity."

"Bujurururu! OFFER-THE-SeeD's-HEAD-ON-A-SILVER-PLATTER-AND-PRET END-WE-OBEY-THE-SORCERESS!"

Squall's grips on Quistis's shoulder tightened. "Wha... Why aren't we fighting the sorceress? What about all the training we endure every day? What good is it?"

"WHAT-DID-YOU-SAY!? YOU-LOST-TO-THE-SORCERESS! QUIT-YOUR-WHINING!"

The third Garden Faculty sighed. "Headmaster Cid was saying the same thing..."

"Bujurururu! CID!? THAT-IDIOT-CID-DISPATCHED-SeeD-TO-KILL-THE-SORCERE SS. AND-IF-YOU-FAIL? THIS-GARDEN-WILL-BE-DONE-FOR!" Quistis cringed from the raucous noise the creature emitted. If she could, she would have covered her ears. "MY-GARDEN! IT-WILL-ALL-BE-OVER! THAT-IDIOT-CID. HAS-HE-FORGOTTEN-THAT-IT-WAS-I-WHO-PUT-UP-THE-MONE Y-TO-ESTABLISH-GARDEN!? I-WANTED-TO-OFFER-THE-SORCERESS-CID'S-HEAD-ALONG-W ITH-SeeD'S. I-ORDERED-THE-STUDENTS-TO-FIND-CID-BUT-THEY-SIDED- WITH-HIM! Bujurururu! Bujurururu! THIS-IS-MY-GARDEN!"

"NO! It's not just yours!" Squall removed one of his hands from Quistis' shoulder to reach for his holster when NORG's pod turned yellow. He heard Quistis's sharp indrawn breath.

"Bujurururu! THEN-WHAT-IS-IT!? IS-IT-CID'S-AND-EDEA'S!? THAT-PATHETIC-MARRIED-COUPLE'S?"

Squall froze. "What...?"

"The headmaster and the sorceress are married?" Quistis whispered. "What's going on?"

"Bushurururu...NOW-I-UNDERSTAND. CID-AND-EDEA-ARE-TRYING-TO-TAKE-GARDEN-AWAY-FROM-M E. YOU'RE-ONE-OF-CID'S-FOLLOWERS-AREN'T-YOU? PREPARE-TO-DIE!"

Squall should have seen it coming, but he was distracted for a second when the centre pod turned red, and Quistis moved to cover his front. When the burst of Tornado hit her, he wrenched her to the side and fell to the floor on top of the blonde, easing the sharp pain on his shoulder and cursed when he saw a gash on her shoulder.

"Again!" he shouted to the woman lying under him. "What'd it take for you to stop playing Hero?"

Quistis's face was pale. "You're heavy…" she mumbled.

Squall rolled away, one hand pressed down her bleeding shoulder and the other dragged Quistis by her waist to the elevator, ignoring the woman's grunt and flailing legs. He looked up. NORG was inside the pod, the two orbs were blue. Four Faculty members were flanking them, moving towards the elevator. Squall halted and narrowed his eyes when the four stopped on the front of the elevator, effectively blocking their escape route.

"We don't want you," said the most right Faculty member. "Leave Instructor Trepe here and you can go."

"We won't attack you," said the most left Faculty member. "But you can't take her with you."

Squall crouched behind Quistis, clenching his teeth as he tried to stop the bleeding wound, one hand looped on her waist. Quistis groaned and shifted slightly, she sat on the floor, her arms useless at her side.

"NORG knew what happened to me," Quistis murmured as Squall pressed his cheek on the side of her head, listening. The gunblader covered her from the four robed members, himself showed his open back to the standing Faculty members but never letting any of them shift without his eyes glaring at them. "I'm dispensable."

She was a perfect gift for the sorceress.

"No, you're not." Squall said. He watched NORG's pod turned yellow.

"Leave the instructor here, Student No. 41269," Squall heard the words from behind him. "This is an order."

"Leave, Squall." Quistis watched the sphere on the pod turned red. "Now."

Squall clenched his teeth and raised his hand from Quistis's waist.

"Don't even try!" shouted one of the Faculty members. "The minute you fight the Garden Master, we'll attack you!"

"Fushirurururu!" NORG's voice gleed from the pod as it turned red, and a purple colored laser beamed from the pod, hitting both SeeDs with its fast light. Squall grimaced when he felt his throat closed up.

_Dammit!_ He racked his brain. _Shiva! Out!_

**-Oh, Squall. He silenced you. I can't get out—**

Squall felt Quistis choke, and his raised hand quickly held on to her neck. The woman forced gasping breaths. She turned her head to him and lifted her hazy eyes, mouthing the words, _Go!_

Squall closed his eyes. He removed his hands from her, and patted his pants pocket. The woman frowned when she realized he was looking for something.

_Sorry_, he mouthed.

Finally he came to his senses, she thought. She nodded and closed her eyes. His hands cupped her cheek and she opened her eyes to see his warm forehead pressed against hers. She blinked and her gaze went straight to stormy eyes when a flash of green aura jumped into her brain.

_Wha…_

_**W**__hee__**!**_ A GF cheered when it settled inside her. _**T**__hat was a lot more fun than Dynamo Stone__**! **_The GF stopped dancing and Quistis finally saw a small green thing with a purple orb on its forehead turning its big doe eyes around with wonder. _**W**__ow! I like it here__**! I**__t's so foamy__**!**_

Quistis blinked away the hazy feeling when the hands released her head, and the gunblader stood up and rushed to the elevator.

She heard the door closed behind her. Quistis looked back to see the Faculty members once again covered the door and when she turned back, a dark sphere from the left orb hit her.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

Selphie looked down from the screw she tightened on the left tower. A soldier glared up at her.

"I'm working," she said.

"Get down here!" the tall full-armoured soldier barked. He was only a few years older than her, his red hair short and his eyes so black, armoured gloves propped on his hip, his full helmet settled next to him. "I thought the order was clear! Nobody is allowed to do anything without permission from me!"

Selphie put her wrench back into her fanny pack and zipped it close. She wiped the grease on her hands to her faded blue mechanic jumpsuits. Wishing the soldier didn't see her rolling her eyes as she slid down with feet on both sides of the tall steel tower, Selphie arrived on the deck next to the soldier's standing form. "I have to work," she said, hoping her Fisherman Horizon's accent fooled him. "Otherwise my boss won't pay me."

"Why on earth a man would pay a girl to climb a tower to do stuff like that?" the soldier said. He crossed his arms on his chest and glared down at her. "Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Uhh… "I guess?"

"Well, why don't you go find another job?" the soldier snapped.

What? "What does my job has anything to do with you?" Selphie shouted back. The soldier blinked at her outburst. He scowled when Selphie mirrored his arrogant stand. "I'm working, so if you have nothing else to say, just go and do your guard job!"

"I am doing it right now!" the soldier yelled. "Nobody is allowed to do things like this without reporting to me! Have you filed a permission form to work on this dangerous thing?"

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Selphie stomped on the deck, chin up, wishing she was at least a foot and a half taller so she could glare straight at his mocking eyes. "I've been doing this… um, thin'! Forever! Why do I have to get permission to do my job when your captain isn't the one… um, payin' me!"

The soldier raised his chin even more, glaring down at her as if she was far beneath him. "Did you miss the part when FH is under Galbadian' command?"

"I don't work for Galbadia! I am FH mechanic!" Selphie screeched when the soldier, in a surprisingly fast move, wrenched her fanny pack from her hip. She glared and stood her ground as the soldier unzipped the pack and studied what's inside.

"You can kill a soldier with this!" the soldier said, waving a hammer he pulled out from her pack. He threw the hammer to the deck, rummaging the fanny pack even further. "What the hell did all those stupid soldiers did all this time? I specifically mentioned nobody in FH is allowed to hold anything dangerous!" He waved the wrench, the screwdriver, the small drill, and tossed all including her poor fanny pack behind his shoulder. "Damn it! You! You come with me!"

"What?" Selphie screamed when the gloves circled her wrist and pulled. She tried to hold her ground. Should she hold her ground and fight? But then there was no way out of FH if their covers were blown. Should she let herself be taken to… wherever this soldier going to… wait, that's even worse! "HELP! HELP!"

"What…" The soldier glared at her. "Stop yelling! I'm not going to—"

"HEEEEELPP!"

"What are you doing?" she heard Seifer's voice behind her. "Let her go!"

The soldier looked behind the small mechanic. A tall fisherman walked towards them, he was built behind the baggy brown shirt, chopped pants and old sandals. He was holding a thick metal rod and a sharp hook on one hand. The soldier scowled but not letting the mechanic's wrist go. "What's it to you?"

Under a massive straw hat, the fisherman's eyes assessed the situation before him. The soldier frowned, studying the glances. There was something really familiar about this fisherman.

"Ya're holdin' my sister's hand," drawled the fisherman with an accent so thick, the soldier had to strain his ear closer to understand what he was mumbling about. "Get away from her."

Sister? The soldier studied the small girl's face and back to the fisherman. Aside from the green eyes, that wasn't even the same colour, they looked nothing alike. Of course both had the same scowl and irritable expressions, but so did he right now. "Right. Why don't you work on the tower and not your little sister?"

The fisherman shrugged, but the soldier felt it was rehearsed, the sway too smooth. "I'm not good at the nail and hammer thin'." He looked pointedly at the hand still holding his little sister's wrist. "Get your hands 'way from her."

"She broke the law," said the soldier. "I'm going to file her for misconduct."

"What?" the mechanic said. "I was just doing my job!"

"So do I," said the soldier. "No one else was working on the tower but you, as I'm sure you noticed. They were all advised-"

The mechanic snorted.

"Advised," continued the soldier, "to stop working until Galbadia can issue the right allotted time for working with such dangerous equipment that would be precarious for the peaceful condition of FH."

"Right," drawled the fisherman. "Keep the damn mechanic away from their hammers so they won't hammer your fucking thick helmet and your jelly head away with—…"

"Silvan!" said the mechanic.

Silvan rolled his eyes. The soldier narrowed his eyes. "Well, nice to know how the residents see us." It wasn't like he didn't know what everyone thought about the military. "Still, you," he said to the mechanic biting her lips. "I can't let you get away with this misconduct or everyone else will start breaking rules here and there."

"Nobody's takin' Silvanna anywhere," said Silvan, trotting to them. He put his fishing rod to the deck, and straightened up to glare at the soldier. "She's not doin' anythin' wrong."

"You tell him, Silvan!" said the mechanic.

Silvan and Silvanna. Great, the FH residents sure were resourceful. "I don't care what you think." The soldier pulled the mechanic's wrist and dragged her to the inn. "Misconduct is misconduct. I'm not negotiating." He felt a pull back and looked to see Silvanna's other wrist clasped tightly in her brother's hand. Silvanna looked to the puller and the obstructer, and grimaced when both yanked her wrists.

"Hey!" she said. "Okay, I get it—"

"I said," Silvan ran the words through his clenched teeth, his eyes issued a clear warning, "Get your filthy hands away from my sister."

"And I said," the soldier replied, "No." If only he blinked, the high kick would blow his skull already. As it was, he snapped his head back and punched the raised foot, only to hit an empty air. What the hell? He took a step forward, his form ready. He glared at the fisherman crouched in a battle stance, his hand still holding his sister's wrist tight.

"No! No!" Silvanna yelled, stepping into the middle. "No, I'm going with you! Sorry about this! Sure, I'll go with you!"

"No, you're fucking not!" yelled the fisherman, jerking his sister to his side.

Silvanna tumbled back and glared at him. "Silv, quiet!" She turned back to the soldier. "Sorry, he's… he's always like this! Don't get us both on the list, I beg you!" She shook her wrist free of her brother's hand. "Silvan! Get away from me!"

"What the hell?" Silvan jerked her again. "You asked for help and now you're going with him? The hell's wrong with you!"

"Silvan!" Silvanna cringed. "Please."

"Listen to your sister," said the soldier. "I don't have a problem putting the two of you in jail, but I think that's not what she wants."

"Bite me, you fu—"

"Silvan!" Silvanna stomped on her brother's sandal and yanked her wrist free when the fisherman cursed to the nines. She charged to the inn, dragging the soldier with her. "Let's go! If you want to list me in, just do it and get it over with already!"

"Silvanna! Get back here, you damn filly!"

Ignoring the shouts from her brother, the mechanic strode ahead. The soldier walked behind her, frowning at the way she dragged him, although he was the one clasping her wrist.

"Your brother's kick was so well-aimed. Where'd he learned martial arts?"

She said nothing. In no time they reached the inn and Silvanna opened the door, bursting in.

"Ivan!" she yelled to the red-haired man manning the desk. The man's purple eyes widened at her entrance. "I got'n trouble!"

"Uh," Ivan said, standing up from his chair behind the desk and gave a wary glance at the soldier. "Okay. You hit Captain Rochester or somethin'?"

Ivan. Silvan. Silvanna. Rochester wondered what the youngsters in this small village were named after. Probably some Muvan, Chuvan, Guvan and Duvan would come out later. He pulled Silvanna into the hotel room where he put his form and his belongings.

"Y-You're the captain?" croaked Silvanna.

"Nothing in this town should get past without my notice," Rochester said, pulling the chair for Silvanna to sit while he rummaged his duffel.

He wondered if the replacements would really come as they said they would, because standing guard in this backwater part of the world was not his idea of a good time. If only the sorceress didn't decide to expand by 'conquering' small parts of the world here and there, he would still be in Deling. But the traitor Caraway had left the military that one night, and he got the bitter end of the deal. So much for loyalty.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

Chomp, chomp.

"Ohhh," Zell murmured from between his mustard-covered teeth, "this is heaven." Chomp, chomp.

Fuu closed her eyes, putting her pasta down. She was full after the 'Hotdog and Me' exhibition Dincht held in front of her. Taking a mouthful of water, Fuu spotted a brown and blackish blur running towards them. He knocked Zell full speed ahead, crashing against their table and face-landing on the ten layers of hotdog stacked on the plate. She waited until Squall looked up and grimaced in disgust. The gunblader wiped his face free from the cream and sauce, and looked around. He found Zell down next to the table, and dragged the man up.

"The hell, man?" Zell blurted once he got back on his feet.

Squall waved his hands in front of him and made a cutting motion on his neck.

"Who tried to kill you?" Zell frowned when Squall scowled. He made a choking motion on his own throat and mouthed something. "Yeah, I get that. I get that you're being attacked…"

"SILENCE." Fujin said, pointing to her own throat and placing her glass of water down. "MAGIC."

"Uh… huh?" Zell turned to Squall. "Who did that to you?"

Squall pointed to several guys in the cafeteria and splashed his hand in a whipping motion.

"Horse? Jockey?"

"TREPE." Fujin stood from the table. "TROUBLE?"

"What?" Zell scratched his nape when Squall nodded and pointed at Fujin, who calmly left her chair. "Quistis silenced you? Why?"

Squall covered his face with his hand, and ignored Zell. He looked at Fujin and jerked his thumb to the exit.

"FINE."

Squall ran with Fujin trailed after him. Zell looked up to the ceilings, groaned and followed them. "Can anyone tell me what's going on?" he shouted after the two, who ran to the elevator. "Hey!"

Squall charged into the elevator, punched the B1 button and waited for the two to enter before he all but smashed the close button.

Fujin pressed her hand to his throat and said, "ESUNA."

Coughing, Squall moved away and said, "—Thanks. NORG got her."

"Who's NORG, by the way?" asked Zell.

Squall waved the question away. "We fight him, you hit the Faculty, I recover Quistis."

"Whoa whoa. Wait, back up a minute. Fight NORG?" Zell tilted his head. "Why would I hit a Faculty member?"

"Four. Four Faculty members."

"You gotta be kidding me!"

"Fujin. Do you have GF?"

Fujin gave a sharp nod. Squall unsheathed his gunblade when the door opened, and sliced through the robe of one faculty standing right over the door. He shrieked, but Squall hit an empty air inside the robe. The man inside the robe stumbled back as quick as he could, torn material swishing on his fast escape from the blade. The gunblader burst out of the elevator, his shoulder rammed the other Faculty member next to the elevator. The other man fell to the side, shouting in surprise.

"Oh man," Squall heard Zell mumble. "It's real. Damn it." He heard a punch and a cracking noise, but his focus was on the two Faculty members crouching in front of the pod, circling an unconscious figure. Quistis's head tilted weakly to the side, her eyes closed as the Faculty member behind her secured her arms back with a black shawl. The other member in front of her held a black material. Squall knew what a body bag looked like, small as it was.

"Fushirururu!" NORG, safely inside his pod, said to the Faculty members, "HURRY!"

Squall felt a punch in his gut. He ran to them, raised his gunblade and shouted, "Let her go!"

"PANDEMONA!" shouted Fujin.

"RED!" NORG shouted, "MAGIC!"

"Squall!" Zell shouted. "Damn it! Get away from me!" A loud thud from the back.

Water magic hit Squall on the chest, ramming him backward. He dropped after a double cartwheel in the air to the floor, hand still clutching his gunblade. Ire rocked him hard, and when he found his balance back on his heels, he didn't have to wait for his next mood to catapult him for Renzokuken. The member who waited on Quistis with the body bag found himself cut into two, the one on her back screamed when the gunblade sliced upwards, cutting his face that he was sure was safe inside his massive head robe. The dance of the gunblade smashed the pod, crashing the two orbs of the pod, the lid where NORG hid sparked lights and gave a deafening sound of metal against metal. Squall turned his gunblade to the side, sliced the dying metal, another slash of his Limit Break and the lid shattered.

The blob inside made its way out, staggered on a flopping set of limbs.

"What the hell was that?" said Zell. "Scan!"

NORG shrieked, "DAMN-SeeDs! THIS-IS-MY-GARDEN! YOU-CAN'T-DO-AS-YOU-PLEASE!"

"Oh wow," said Zell as Squall stepped to cover Quistis's frail form on the floor. NORG shuddered and gave what one expected as a full-fledged glare towards the gunblader. "His Garden?"

"Fushururu!"

Squall staggered backwards when the Blizarra spell hit him. He clenched his teeth and crouched when the pain burst in his chest. Zell ran to his side, hands raised and shouted with glee, "I can't believe it! Draw!"

"NO!" NORG wailed when a sphere of blue floated from its body and entered Zell.

"Ohh yeah, baby!" Zell held himself steady as he took in the new GF. "How cool is it? Leviathan!"

"Good for you," Squall gritted out.

"NOW!" they heard Fujin's shout. Not a second after, a red, almost purple creature flew from the back of the room towards NORG, crashing against him, lifted his body in a whirlwind and smashed the Garden Master, along with its pod onto the ceiling. Once. Squall reeled back, covered Quistis with his body and cupped the back of his head while Zell ran to the side. Twice. The scream was agonizing, the plea apparent in the note, getting higher the more crashes it got in between. Thrice. Splinters and pieces of metal rained down before the more heavy form of NORG and its pod crashed down to meet the planet in the aftermath of the Tornado whirlwind.

Squall looked up. Zell groaned far from him. NORG flipped to its back, eyes open staring at the ceiling, no longer moving. Its pod cracked open in the middle, the orbs had long died out. The underground lair was shattered, anything resembling furniture was broken in pieces. None of the four Faculty members were up from their lying position on the floor, one of them was in two parts separated in the middle and the corner of the room.

"YAY," said Fujin from the back.

"You're trying to kill us all?" said Zell. "Squall, what the hell was this is all about?"

Squall studied the woman in his arms and felt her steady breath. He sighed when he realized she was sleeping and pressed his forehead against her neck. His adrenaline ebbed away the longer he sensed her sound pulse. "Doesn't matter now."

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Doctor…"

Rinoa's head snapped up. She peeked from behind the curtain keeping her and the headmaster away from the rest of the infirmary when Squall, Zell and Fujin entered. All looked weary, scratches everywhere on their visible skin. Squall carried Quistis, her suit tore open on one wounded shoulder, her head swayed with the motion of her carrier.

"Squall...?" Rinoa murmured. Squall's eyes flicked to hers, but he said nothing. His jaw tensed and he waited until the chagrined doctor motioned to him where to put Quistis down.

"Why am I not surprised?" murmured Dr. K. Squall's lips thinned and he moved to the corner, eyes studying the doctor's hand on Quistis's shoulder.

"Squall," Rinoa said. She closed the curtain behind her. "What happened?"

"Perhaps when Quistis wakes up later, I should make her file a restraining order against you," said the doctor as she studied the wound. "Not ten days later, another wound on the shoulder. Her last injuries haven't even healed yet and she got another. Add Sleep and Blind magic to someone whose motions are severely limited. What were you thinking, taking someone who's obviously not capable of defending herself to battle?"

Squall closed his eyes. Rinoa walked to Quistis's bed, looking at the pale-faced woman.

"Actually, Doc," Zell said, "If Squall wasn't there in time, they would ha—" Fujin closed his mouth with her palm.

"DISILUSSIONED," the woman declared. "CONFUSE."

Zell looked ashamed when Fujin dropped her hand. "Eh. Yeah, I am. Sorry."

"Where were you guys?" Rinoa asked. "Who are 'they'?"

Zell shrugged and looked at the doctor as she straightened her body. "So, what's up, Doc?"

"Luckily," the doctor said, turning to stare at Squall, "or should I say unfortunately?" She saw him blanch. "She's fine, it's not a life-threatening cut. None of her nerves are damaged, and she's going to be just fine after a High Potion and Esuna. You mind telling me what this is all about?"

Squall gazed at the doctor. "I'm at fault. I shouldn't take her fighting in the Training Centre."

The doctor looked unsure. She studied the gunblader's expression and she found nothing. "Yeah. You shouldn't."

Squall looked at Quistis's face, and mumbled, "Do you know where the headmaster is?"

"Well, the headmaster is kind of..."

Cid's voice sounded from behind the curtain. "I'm ok now, doctor."

Dr. Kadowaki turned to him as he appeared, eyes rimmed with red and face grim. "Are you sure?"

The headmaster gave a vague grimace. "Yes. I believe I'm done crying." He waved Squall closer. "You all see me in such an embarrassing state. What shall we talk about?" he said as they entered behind the curtain.

Rinoa followed. She wondered what it was all about. Since the headmaster was escorted to the infirmary earlier, he'd been cooped behind the curtain with tears in his eyes. He seemed to be relaxed when Rinoa waited on him and talked about what Timber and Deling City looked like when she grew up.

Squall opened his mouth, but he closed it when Rinoa entered last. He frowned at her, looked at Zell and Fujin, back to Rinoa as if she was the odd one out and said, "Do you have to be here?"

_Well!_ Rinoa huffed and crossed her arms over her chest as Cid waved his hand. "It's fine, she's been placating me since you saw me last. It's good that you have such a wonderful friend, Squall."

Rinoa didn't miss the look between Fujin and Squall. She pouted and wondered what they didn't tell her as Squall said, "Please tell me about Sorceress Edea. I heard she's your wife."

Rinoa dropped her hands. "What?" The sorceress was his wife… but then…

The headmaster sighed. "You're quite right... She had been a sorceress since childhood. I married her, knowing that. We were happy. We worked together, the two of us. We were very happy. One day, Edea began talking about building the Garden and training SeeD. I became obsessed with the plan. But I was very concerned with SeeD's goal, that one day SeeD might fight Edea... She laughed and told me that would never happen. However..."

"But you…" Rinoa said, "You gave an order to assassinate your wife!"

Cid's eyes met hers. "I did and I didn't."

"I… I don't get it."

"What do we do now?" asked Squall.

The headmaster shook his head. "We must stop drifting around soon... I only hope that we can get things back to the way they were."

Zell and Fujin eyed Rinoa as Squall said, "I have something else I'd like to ask you, but—"

"But you can't because I'm not supposed to know?" said Rinoa. "What is it, Squall?"

"It doesn't concern you." Squall gave a pointed look at the curtain. "Good job working at the infirmary and placating the headmaster. You have my thanks."

"Thanks?" Rinoa said. "What… you think I'm doing it for your gratitude?"

Squall shrugged. "You don't have to do it, but you did. Thank you."

"Well, if you ever bothered to take me to battle with you instead of leaving me around doing nothing, I could be of more help to you!" Rinoa said. "Why are you so scared of letting me join your party, Squall?"

Zell looked uncomfortable at her tone and Fujin nudged him.

"HOTDOGS," she said.

"Yeah! Sure! I'll see you again, Squall! Headmaster!" Zell saluted and left the curtained area with Fujin.

Cid was trapped in the middle of the staring battle between Squall and Rinoa. "Is everything okay between you two?"

Squall frowned and turned to the headmaster. "What are you talking about?"

"No, it's not fine!" Rinoa held his arm. "Tell me what made you so upset with me!"

Squall shook her hand away. "Nothing."

"Then why are you acting so angry with me?" Rinoa said. Squall walked out from the curtain and she fumed behind him. "Tell me, Squall! Why can't I join you in battle? I'm good at fighting! I can be by your side! Why are you running away?"

Squall's focus was on Quistis and the doctor who was waking her up with an Esuna. He felt Rinoa's glare behind him and shook his head. "I didn't run."

"Yes you do!"

"I'm not here for this." Squall turned, leaving Quistis under the care of the doctor and making his way to the exit when Rinoa caught his arm again.

"Squall!" she said. "When we have problems we have to talk about it!"

Squall shook his arm. "There is nothing to talk about. Get your hand away from me."

"See? You're upset!"

Not for the reason she thought, but now she had successfully spiked his temper. Squall whirled, jerking his arm away from her and said, "Never assume you know what I'm thinking." He glared at her pale face. "Never."

He left the infirmary in a rushed trail, wanting to get away from one person and yet be there for another, who didn't need him to begin with.

"Squall!" Xu called him when they met near the directory board. "Have you seen the headmaster around?"

"He's in the infirmary. Something wrong?"

Xu huffed. "Well, go to the second floor deck and see for yourself. There's a ship approaching. It could be Galbadians or worse: the sorceress might be aboard, coming to attack us! I have to tell the headmaster right away."

Squall watched her run to the infirmary.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

The three who claimed to be Edea's SeeDs jumped up to the balcony from their white ship. They held out his hands when Squall drew his gunblade. "Please. We come in peace. We must speak to Headmaster Cid. Where is he?"

"I'm right here." Cid walked out to the deck with Xu. Squall watched them, still wary at their ship and their motives.

The crewmembers saluted Cid. "Headmaster, we've come for Ellone. It's too dangerous here now."

Cid sighed. "...Yes. I'm afraid so."

Squall froze. _Ellone? That girl from Winhill?_

Cid turned to Squall. "Squall. You know who she is? Please go find her. She's somewhere in the Garden."

_Who are these guys? How are they connected?_

"Squall?"

"Yes, sir." Squall watched the three SeeDs follow Cid and Xu into Garden. He sheathed his gunblade and walked into the second floor, straight to the elevator.

_Ellone… _

Squall stepped out of the elevator to find Quistis leaning on the directory board. She was talking with one of the Edea's SeeD standing next to her. Squall stood still for a while until she looked up and noticed him. Edea's SeeD followed her gaze and smiled at Squall before walking to the back of the round hall.

"Hi," said Quistis when Squall walked closer. "So you managed to rescue me after all, huh?"

Squall bit the inside of his cheek.

"Thank you, Squall."

"Do you know him?" was not something he meant to say when he noticed she was fine.

"Well… he's a visitor from one of the mobile SeeD ship. I was just walking around to see their ship. Everyone was talking about it in the infirmary, so I thought—anyway," said Quistis. "What happened to NORG… and others?"

Squall looked around. The hall was quite empty, but he still dropped his head closer before whispering to Quistis, "They won't concern anyone any longer."

Quistis stilled. "…Oh."

"Shouldn't you get some rest now?"

Quistis rolled her eyes and stepped back. "Yes, _doctor_. I thought I'm going to go see what all the ruckus is all about before I get to my room. What are they doing here?"

"They're looking for Ellone."

"Ellone?" Quistis's eyes widened. "As in, THE Ellone?"

"I think so."

"Wow. So… what is she doing here?"

Squall shrugged. "I'm looking for her. If you can't rest, you might as well go look for her with me."

Quistis gaped and said, "Really?" She smiled. "Everybody's been telling me I should go get some rest. This is more exciting! I want to meet Ellone too, you know?"

Of course he knew that. Why'd she thought he offered?

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"I'm sorry, Squall." Ellone sat on the library chair, giving the gunblader a calm smile. "It's hard to explain. But...one thing... It's about the past." She turned the smile to Quistis, who stood still waiting for a clear explanation about the dream they'd been having all this time. They were just in luck, as they walked past the library when the pigtail girl asked her friend about the unfamiliar woman sitting in their computer area.

Squall looked down, hands crossed in front of him.

"People say you can't change the past." Ellone said. "But even still, if there's a possibility, it's worth a try, right?"

"Why did you choose us?" asked Quistis. "Why were we the one experiencing your 'dream world'? How were we connected to your past and why do we have to change it for you?"

Ellone frowned. She bit her lips and mumbled, "I'm sorry." Quistis thought that it wasn't what she wanted to say after all.

"Why me?" Squall snapped. "I have enough problems as it is! Don't get me involved in this!"

Ellone shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Squall stepped back and tumbled into a chair behind him. He covered his face. "Don't... Don't count on me."

Quistis sighed when she saw Xu enter the computer room. Xu raised her brow to Quistis and the woman nudged her head at Ellone. Ellone stood from her chair and patted Squall's shoulder gently.

"You're my only hope," she said. "It's time to admit we are what we are because of other people."

Squall didn't drop his hands from his face until Ellone left the room with Xu. He shook his head, gazed at Quistis and said, "Let's get you back to your room."

"You don't have to. I'm sure Nida's already back from his work."

Squall's jaw tensed. "Let me get you back to your room."

Quistis studied the blank stare of the gunblader. Months ago, she would have tried to imagine what he was thinking about and hoping that she was somehow in his mind, among all the things he must have thought every day. But now, she knew it was hopeless to expect anything from someone who refused to get close to anyone.

"All right," she said.

_Might as well take what he'd never offered in normal circumstances._ She wasn't a fool to pass up chances.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

"You again."

Selphie resisted the urge to bang her head on the telephone pole she was hanging on. She peered down, and in the middle of the darkness, Rochester was scowling up at her with a flashlight in his hand.

"What'd it take for you to understand the fact that 'all mechanics are not going to work until further notice'?" Barefooted in shirt and cotton pants, Rochester pointed at her with the flashlight. "Because the way I see it, you're either an obtuse, you're trying to mock me or you're a dumb daredevil for doing this right in front of the inn."

"It's three in the morning," Selphie muttered. "You're either an insomniac, you are trying to catch me for another misconduct act or you're satan who turns my life to hell."

"I heard that."

"So the telephone is out since this afternoon in all homes because some birds broke the line," she said. "Uncle Dobe asked me if I can do something about it, because I'm the only one who still have all the tools. You took everyone else's equipment!"

"Which supposedly show you what will happen to you if you continue this. Get down now."

"And blah blah blah. You know what? If you want me to get down, get up here and do it." Selphie saw the jagged line. It was way too far, but maybe if she reached out a bit…

The hand circled her ankle and tugged. Selphie yelped when the surprise weight slid her down, and she plunged down over ten feet of air. Landing on a rather soft surface and heard a harsh grunt, she scowled to the soldier beneath her.

"That was unnecessary, don't you think?" she said.

"It worked, didn't it? I got you down," said Rochester as she scrambled away.

"Well, if you wanted me to get down, all you have to do was to ask nicely!" Even in the darkness, she could see him gape at her.

"I'm not going to honour that with a sensible reply," said Rochester. "Where is my light?"

"Looking for this?" a very familiar voice accompanied the hand that offered the glaring flash light at the soldier. "Mind telling me what you two doing here at this hour?"

"Se—Silvan!" the mechanic ran and hugged her brother.

Rochester took the flashlight away from the man. "Mind telling me how you managed to control your little sister all this time? How could you let her work at three in the morning, climbing up a telephone pole in the dark? Can you explain that?"

Silvan's eyes narrowed at his sister and from the way she grimaced, Rochester could guess how strong he clenched her arms that circled his waist.

"Let's get back to Uncle Dobe," he spat the word out to the girl scowling up at him. "And we _will_ talk."

Silvanna huffed and pulled her arms away, only to have Silvan held them tight. "We will not."

"We will."

"Will not."

"We will."

"Will not."

"We—damn it, stop that!" the man said. "We're going back home and you will have no say in the matter. Is that clear?"

"It's not clear."

"It is!"

"It's not."

"It is!"

"It's not."

"It—what, you little…"

Rochester wouldn't be surprised if Silvan ended up shaking his sister's body out of frustration alone. He turned his head up to the telephone pole, and a small light from the sea got his attention. He narrowed his eyes and a small smile broke out in his lips when he recognized the vessel.

"Another Galbadian vessel?" he heard Silvanna said. "Look!"

"The hell? Why'd you need another backup? We have nothing here for the likes of you!"

For the first time in days, Rochester could answer it with relief, "Not a backup. They're my replacement. I'm only here for the initial first few days. I guess now you two will have to answer all your misconduct to Biggs and Wedge."

There was no answer from the two for a while. Not until Silvanna gave a heart-wrenching whine and Silvan shouted, "In the name of all the fucking gods!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

To Be continued…


	29. Crash and Bash

**Chapter 29**

**Crash and Bash**

* * *

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

_She waited behind the open door, watching the rain outside. The boy was standing near the pillar, his shoulders slumped. _

_His voice quavered, "... I'll be ok without you, Sis. I'll be able to take care of myself."_

"…_Hey," called the little blonde girl with blue eyes. The boy jumped and looked behind him. The girl opened the door wider, waving for him to come in. "Come on, everyone's ready to eat. We're waiting for you."_

_The boy bit his lip and walked into the house. _

Squall opened his eyes when the knock didn't stop. He sighed and left his bed.

Rinoa smiled at him as he opened the door. "Hey, again, Sleeping Beauty."

Squall stared at her. "I wasn't asleep."

"Oh really? I think I heard you talking in your sleep. I'm not telling you what you said." Rinoa tilted her head. "…Hey, let's go for a walk."

"You already know the place."

"You skimped on the tour! This time, it's a walk!"

"Just go by yourself. It's safe here."

"It's not that I want a guard with me. You know... You're always too deep in thought. Why don't you lighten up a little? It's not good to think too much." She grinned. "What I'm trying to say is... It would be my honour...to have your company, your highness, in hope that I may get your mind off things. How about it, your highness?"

Squall scowled. "This is stupid."

Rinoa blinked. Her smile faded. "Oh... Your highness is in a foul mood. I'll see you around then."

Squall walked out, closing the door and waiting for the lock to click into place. Rinoa stepped back, eyes watching the gunblader as the man turned and left the hall.

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

The old man beside him yawned. "Heard you got in a fight with the young Cap last night?"

Seifer kept his eyes on the deck behind him, not even looking at the line cast from his rod. "Not really a fight, just a… loud preference for different opinions."

"'S that what you call a fight these days? It's good that the boy left, then, uh?"

_Any minute now…_ he wished his straw hat hid his face from the two dumb soldiers inspecting houses near the inn. Selphie was above them on the telephone pole, mechanic helmet hiding her head, far up from the eyes of the two newcomers. Wedge watched her from the ground, said something to Biggs and the two shook their heads together before walking away.

They hadn't inspected the inn. Seifer had asked the manager to hide Irvine somehow, but a six foot tall man couldn't hide in the minuscule storage closet for that long. Martine was sitting in front of the inn, hoping that his presence would confuse the new leader. Irvine was hiding in his room, hoping the soldier wouldn't care enough to check on the occupants.

It was easy to keep Selphie and Irvine away. Now that the meddling captain had left, nobody cared enough to enforce _his_ rules, especially because no work meant no money in for the residents. No money meant no bribe. Of course Biggs and Wedge wouldn't enforce the 'no work' rules. But one look at Seifer and they would know. Irvine told Seifer that he had to keep sitting with his head down and not drawing any attention to himself.

…_Right._

"What is tha…AAAHHH!"

Seifer heard the old man. He turned to the giant shadow enveloping them. He saw blue, and he looked up, and up, recognizing his Garden. Full speed on them.

"Go!" he shouted, shoving the old man up. The man wobbled up and turned to run. The Blue Garden crashed against the far deck, nearly hitting Seifer who was running behind the old man. Wooden planks and seawater flew towards him, one thick plank smashed his back. Seifer cursed and stumbled to the wobbly deck.

"Run, Silvan!" he heard Selphie. "Run!"

Seifer pushed himself and jumped, sprinting and crashing into the junk shop, leaving the quaking deck behind him. Moments later, sea water and planks smashed the remaining splinters of a door and doused inside the junk shop, baptizing the weapon counters, the weapons on the wall, the shopkeeper and the blond man in its wake. When the water saw itself out the open entrance, freshly-doused Seifer had lost his straw hat, his sandals and his patience.

"Well…" the woman manning the counter said, her hair drenched in seawater and seaweed. "I did say her weapon is done and you can pick it up, but the entrance was a little too dramatic for me."

"Just put the damage under Balamb Garden," Seifer snapped. He stood up from the slippery floor. "Kramer's pretty damn rich."

Squall looked up from the floor he was sitting on. A moment after he left the dorm hall into the main, a major quake knocked him down. Cadets and SeeDs all around him were murmuring, some cursing the waves, most were in the same position as him.

**-Did this thing work? One two… I guess. Okay. Squall! This is the headmaster speaking! Please come to my office! Repeat. Please come to my office right away!-**

Quistis watched the aftermath of their introduction to the little village in the centre of nowhere outside the window. The elevator to the bridge dinged on Squall's arrival as Cid said into the loudspeaker, "Everybody, please remain calm. Also, please do not leave the Garden under any circumstance until you are permitted. We will try to get things back in order A.S.A.P. Thank you for your cooperation."

He turned off the loudspeaker and grimaced to Quistis when she turned. "…As good as the damage control goes." He nodded to Squall. "Ah Squall, thank you for coming. Here are your orders. We've landed on Fisherman's Horizon. Please go ashore with the other SeeDs. Find the local mayor and apologize for this accident. Tell them that we come in peace. Take a look around the city while you're there, too."

Squall saluted. "...Yes, sir." He looked at Quistis.

"Yes, I'll go." Quistis walked to the elevator. "You'll need some kind of a diplomacy tactic with what just happened."

Squall looked around and noted there was nobody else but the three of them in the office. He came closer and whispered to Cid, "Can I ask you about NORG?"

"NORG? He's…" Cid frowned. "Come to think about it, he's not showing up anymore after two days ago…"

Squall wondered if they would be court-martialed if the principal knew the three killed the Garden Master and four Faculty members. Fujin and Zell agreed to keep it only between them, and Quistis was on the basis of knowing because she was the main cause. But telling others that they had murdered someone on the top of the Garden hierarchy wouldn't be a good idea, even if it's Kramer. Especially Kramer. Squall wasn't going to be the cause of the next war between the students. He also had a certain distaste for prison bars now that he had an experience.

"We argued our case," said Squall. "NORG let Quistis go." One way or another.

"Really? Then he's probably not as bad as I thought. He's from the Shumi Tribe. He's the black sheep of the tribe. We met decades ago and he agreed to fund the Garden. Wish I knew about his greed before we… well." Cid sighed. "I wasn't in the position to choose whose money I'd want to build something like this."

Squall nodded, understanding way too well about the orders he didn't have to like, but had to do anyway. "I understand. Thank you for the explanation, Sir." He saluted and turned to the elevator. He raised his hand to punch the close button but Quistis raised her arm slightly, surprising him.

She grinned, and pressed the button. "Surprise. I can do this just this morning. A bit stiff, but now I don't need anyone to escort me just to push the button here and there." She tried a weak clench and grimaced when her fingers merely twitched. "…Oh well."

Squall studied her fingers. "As long as it's healing well."

"Can't wait until I get my full range back. Speaking of which, my whip…"

Damn. He turned to the door, mumbling, "It's going to be ready when you're good for battle. Don't worry about it."

Zell waited for them on the second floor hall. "Hey there. What's up? Are we going to Fisherman's?"

Quistis nodded. "We'll land at Fisherman's Horizon. We'll make an official apology, then observe the town."

"The front gate's closed," Zell said. "We need to go through the second floor deck."

The elevator opened and Rinoa walked out. "Are you guys going out? Can I join you?"

"Probably not on the first contact," said Quistis. "We're supposed to represent the Garden, so I'd like to keep it SeeD's only team."

"Is it going to matter?" Rinoa said. "How will they know I'm not a SeeD unless someone says so?"

Squall folded his arms. _She can't be serious. _

"It's really not going to be a lot of fun," said Quistis. "There's going to be some long speeches, if the Mayor is really like what I remembered. He's… a bore."

Rinoa huffed. "Oh well. See you later then." She waved and turned back into the elevator.

"You've been here before?" Squall asked Quistis.

"Once, on an unofficial SeeD business."

"Whoa," Zell murmured when he opened the door. The deck was filled with new pathway to Fisherman's Horizon. A crane was standing above them, being used just moments ago for the elevator and console now standing nearby. Several residents from the village waited for them.

"Here they come," said one man.

"Zelly! Squally!" squealed a mechanic with a giant helmet on top of her head. She launched herself to Squall, who stepped to the side, and barreled onto Zell behind him. Both crashed to the floor next to Quistis.

"What…" Zell pushed the helmet from the small girl. Green eyes and wide smile grinned down to him. "Selphie? What are you doing here?"

"Figures," murmured Squall.

"Oh, I got so many things to tell you guys!" Selphie pushed herself up. "But I'm gonna call Seify and Irvy first so we can get back together! Can't believe how much I missed you!" She skidded past the FH residents, clicked on the elevator console, hopped down the moving elevator and entered a building.

"I'm glad they're safe and sound," said Quistis.

"Too sound," mumbled Squall.

"We've got to warn you before you go ashore," said another resident as if the episode with Selphie didn't just happen. "Do not engage in any type of armed conflict in the city. We do not tolerate belligerence here."

"How can you not tolerate belligerence with Selphie around?" said Zell.

Quistis shot him a look. "We are representatives of the Garden and we come in peace."

The man nodded, seemed satisfied. "Welcome to Fisherman's Horizon then. We just call it FH. You should go visit the mayor. His house is in the middle of the city."

"We'll do just that," said Squall.

"Good. Looks like we understand each other." The resident sighed at the damage Garden had caused the village. "Man, this is a hell of a mess."

"I'm terribly sorry," Quistis said. "It was inevitable... We lost control of the Garden."

The man waved his hand. "Nah, don't worry about it. What's important is that nobody got hurt. We love fixing stuff anyway. Kick back and enjoy your stay." He walked to the control panel for the elevator leading down to the village and asked, "So, you guys going to Esthar?"

Squall shook his head. "Esthar?"

"You know...that hi-tech city. It's just beyond the train tracks. I guess you're not going there. A lot of people who stop here go there. The trains are down, so the best way to get there is to walk from here." He laughed, but Squall didn't see what was so funny about it. "What a joke. Anyway... You guys had an accident and came here, huh? I guess I shouldn't keep you. Ok, get on." He motioned to the elevator.

Zell looked around when they reached the village. The ground was made of wooden planks and the entire city was built on a precarious-looking deck. A series of houses flanked the wide view of the ocean behind them. They could see the entire village from here. Far ahead, there was a damaged end of a deck, and a plaza with a station building, a familiar-looking junk shop, and rows of closed marketplaces. A well-maintained building just near the elevator landing point was the second biggest in the small village.

The man with chopped trousers and wet blond hair exited the building as Squall walked past it. He raised his brow as his hands combed his hair back, looking annoyed at the sight of them. "Well, I'll be damned," he drawled.

"Hey," called someone from behind him, "stop standin' in the middle of the door." Irvine pushed Seifer away and his face brightened as he saw Quistis. "You guys are really here!" He pulled Quistis into a hug. "What a coincidence!"

Seifer smirked at Quistis when Irvine released her. "Not gonna give me a kiss, Instructor?"

Quistis shrugged, rather stiffly, making Seifer frown at her. "Nice to see you again."

Squall eyed the two as Seifer blurted, "What's with your shoulders?"

"I'll tell you later. I'd like to see the Mayor first."

"That way," Seifer said, jerking his thumb to a building three houses ahead. "I'm gonna go pick up our weapons anyway."

"Oh! The Morning Star!" Selphie appeared at the door. "I almost forgot!"

"Go ahead," said Irvine. He headed back into the building. "I'm gonna get my paycheck first."

Seifer and Selphie were already walking ahead of the Garden rep. They moved past the house Seifer had identified.

"Now where're those dumb soldiers?" Squall heard Seifer said. "On the time they need to show up and show off, they just aren't."

"I think they fled to the train tracks," said Selphie. "At least it's better them than the last captain."

"Much better. You can't fool a soldier who wants nothing to do with a damn bribe."

"I'm sure there's some history here," said Zell, watching the pair enter the junk shop with the broken door. "I just can't figure out what."

"Guys!" Quistis heard Rinoa's voice. "Hey!" The three turned to see Rinoa. She ran to them. "I asked Cid if I can join you guys and he said, 'why not?' so take that!" Squall sighed when Rinoa stopped next to him. She grinned at him and swayed. "So, let's get going, shall we?"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

On the second floor of Dobe's house, Squall sat next to Quistis and accepted the tea Flo poured for them. The wife of the mayor kept her head down, focusing on the tea rather than the faces of the guests. The mayor sat in front of them.

"Allow me to get to the point," said the middle-aged man. "When are you leaving?"

_He's not wasting any time, _Squall thought.

"We'll leave as soon as the Garden is capable of moving," said Quistis.

"Any idea when?"

"I'm afraid not. We're still in the process of understanding everything about our mobile Garden."

"Our technicians will assist you. They should be able to repair and service everything. How does that sound? Go consult with your leader if you don't have the authority."

Rinoa put her half-empty cup down. "S'cuse me. Why do you want us to leave so bad?"

_Please just keep your mouth shut!_ Squall drank the hot tea so she wouldn't see his scowl. _They must have their reasons. Who cares?_

Mayor Dobe shook his head. "We don't want military organizations in FH. You rely on force to solve problems. That is in direct defiance of our principles."

"We believe that any problem can be settled by discussion," said Flo. "If you reach a mutual understanding, there is no need to fight."

_No argument there_, thought Squall. _Trite, and dull as hell, though._

"Violence only leads to more violence. We believe your presence here will attract violence. That's why we want you to leave as soon as possible." Mayor Dobe said nothing more, waiting for the team to counter his opinions. Rinoa opened her lips, and caught Squall's glare. She closed it and pouted.

"So you got Seifer and Selphie all this time, and you never got a fight?" Zell asked. "None at all?"

"They gave up their weapons the moment we rescued them from the pod," said Flo. "And they are peaceful. They never caused any harm to us."

Zell's face must have shown his disbelief because the next sentence Dobe said was, "They are free to go whenever they want, although I doubt the little one will want to go back to violence and destructive ways of your Garden."

"…Oh really," said Zell. "We're talking 'bout Selph, right?"

Quistis stared at Zell, stopping him from further arguments. "Let's go back to Garden."

Rinoa was the last to stand. She spent some time thanking Flo for the tea, while others headed down the stairs.

Zell barged out of the house first. "Man, that geezer pisses me off! Squall, why didn't you tell him off!"

"Forget it. You can't expect everyone to welcome us."

"More Galbadian soldiers!" shouted a voice from the plaza. The Garden team saw a kid run past them and entered the inn.

"More?" said Rinoa. "So there're already soldiers here?"

Quistis walked out last with Flo behind her. The mayor's wife said, "I get it. The Galbadians are here because of you, right? They're after you."

Quistis said nothing.

"You'd better take full responsibility! It's your fault!"

Squall sighed. _Fine, we'll take care of them. I don't like the sound of her tone though._

The Mayor appeared behind Flo. He nudged his wife aside and said, "We mustn't rely on them. They won't be able to do anything without fighting." He ambled to the plaza, where several soldiers stood and waited. "I'll go talk to them."

Squall folded his arms and watched the mayor's back. _He's dead._

"Let's go and help him," said Quistis.

Zell shook his head, although he followed Quistis to the plaza. "It kills me to help that old fart."

"Wait," said Squall, halting in front of the short steps down to the plaza. "Isn't that…"

"Oh great." Zell looked at Biggs and Wedge in their full-coverage armours and helmets, flanking the mayor. Five full-armoured soldiers waited behind them, as if waiting for the command to attack as soon as the two were done. "I don't get it. They're everywhere!"

"I already told you. I've never heard of this girl Ellone. There is nobody here by that name!" said Dobe.

"You guys know the soldiers?" said Rinoa.

"Probably they're zombies?" murmured Zell. "That'll explain a lot."

"Fine," said Biggs. "We can't wait another day in here. We'll just have to torch this city."

"Sounds like that's the leader," Quistis said.

"Leader of the Dumbs," supplied Zell.

"Wait a minute! I'm telling the truth!" Dobe stopped Biggs from walking away. "I've never seen this girl!"

"It doesn't matter, old man," said Biggs. "We're gonna burn this place anyway. Edea's orders. Ha ha ha."

"Does the captain know about this?" asked Dobe.

"Captain?" Biggs jerked his thumb to his chest. "I'm the captain!"

"The idiot got promoted again?" said Zell.

"No! I mean Captain Rochester!" Dobe grabbed Biggs' arm, kneeling in front of him. "No, please!"

"Rochester isn't in charge anymore," said Wedge. He jerked Dobe's arms away from Biggs and shoved him sprawling on the ground. "You have ten minutes to tell the people and leave."

"Rochester?" murmured Rinoa. "No... No way."

Dobe shook his head, and turned to Wedge. "I beg of you! Don't!"

"Don't waste any more time, Wedge!" Biggs picked Dobe up by his neck. "We'll start with you!"

"Oh, this can't be!" Rinoa said. She ran past them and waved to the soldiers. "Hey! Wait! Don't do that!"

"What the—" Zell groaned. "Rinoa!"

Wedge took a second look at the girl. "Miss Caraway? What are you doing here?"

"So you do know my father!" said Rinoa. She stopped in front of Wedge. "Stop! Don't do this!"

"…Let's go," Squall said.

"Ifrit!" called a voice from inside the open entrance of the junk shop, "Hell Fire!"

"Oy! Oy!" shouted Zell, halting his run and flopped down. "Wait!"

The red giant shoved his way out of the junk shop to the plaza. On its left hand, a ball of flaming rock appeared. It flew up past the five soldiers, who were all scattering about, past Quistis and the team, and dropped the giant rock on two soldiers running near Rinoa.

"Aaaah!"

Rinoa stepped to the side and watched the ball of flames and Ifrit disappeared in the air, leaving the burnt bodies behind.

"Catch the Caraway kid!" called Biggs amid the chaos as he dropped Dobe and took out his machine gun. Dobe crawled away, ignoring the bodies of two soldiers next to him. "She's worth thousands!"

"What? No!" Rinoa screamed as Wedge grabbed her arm. "No! Wait!"

"Sorry, Miss," said Wedge, yanking her arm and pulling her to him. "Caraway is now a wanted man."

"Carbuncle!" said Quistis.

Squall sprinted and rammed Biggs with his shoulder, causing both men to tumble down. He gripped Biggs' machine gun with one hand and punched his helmet with another. Zell kicked one of the remaining three soldiers, and wrestled another before the soldier took out his gun. The last standing soldier fell down to his front and had his helmet bashed on the ground by the blond fisherman straddling his back.

"I knew this would happen," muttered Seifer when the soldier under him went unconscious.

"Get away from me!" shouted Biggs, struggling to raise his machine gun.

Squall planted his palm to Biggs' helmet and kept his face down. "Sleep!"

Zell knocked the head of the soldier he had wrestled down. He looked back and saw the machine gun held to his face by the soldier he had kicked.

"Diablos!" summoned Selphie from the junk shop entrance. The soldier who had his gun trained on Zell screamed when the materialized purple monster charged at him. Diablos scooped him out and dove into the ocean. The soldier's machine gun catapulted into the air and dropped in front of Seifer. Seifer grabbed the gun and aimed it at Wedge, who had Rinoa in front of him. His machine gun trained on her temple.

"Why in the hell am I doing this again?" said Seifer. He scowled at Wedge. "Go ahead. Shoot her."

At that moment, green aura bathed the SeeDs and Rinoa. The little green creature sang and danced back into its realm. Quistis opened her eyes to see Squall watching her from his position above Biggs.

"That was a little too slow," he said.

"Sorry. I need to work on my compatibility with him first," replied Quistis. "I haven't had GF in a while. Unless if you want him back?"

"He's yours."

"Uh, hello, Squall?" called Zell. He pointed at Wedge and his hostage. "Not the priority."

Squall aimed his gaze to the priority of the hour. "If you kill her," he said, motioning to Wedge's snoring senior under him, "he's dead."

"I'm curious, though," said Seifer, the machine gun steady in his hand. "Can Reflect bounce back bullet? Maybe he should try…"

Rinoa glared at the blond. "I don't get it," she said to the soldier behind her. "If you want me for money, why do you do this? What can you gain by killing me?"

"I don't really want to do this, Miss Caraway."

"Why don't you let me go? Then they'll let you go."

"I don't think that's what's going to happen."

"Okay. So you want money?"

"No… I don't want this to happen either."

"I'll give you money. I have money. You want power? I know Rochester. I know his father, the General. He'll give you a promotion when you let me go," said Rinoa. "Why don't you put your gun down and then I'll…"

Wedge nudged Rinoa with his gun. "Shush."

Seifer sighed. "Negotiator, thou are not."

"Wanna bet?" Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "Can I have my last wish?"

"Miss Caraway…"

"If you are going to shoot me anyway, shoot that bastard next."

"Not gonna happen, Princess. When he drops your corpse I'm gonna shoot him."

"Thanks for the heads up. If I shoot her I'm keeping her up then."

"Truce." Quistis walked down the short stairs to the plaza. "I offer you a condition, soldier. When you walk away from Rinoa, my team will walk away from this place and leave you and your captain alive. Otherwise…"

Wedge considered it for a moment. "I'm keeping my gun up."

"Drop your gun!" Rinoa said. "Seifer, what are you doing pointing that thing at me?"

"What? I'm waiting for you to die so I can shoot your killer!"

"If you're going to point that thing at me, shoot him already!"

"It's a machine gun, Princess. It got no scope. But if you really want me to shoot him with this while you're in front of him…"

"You're going to snipe with a machine gun? Are you really her friend?" asked Wedge.

"Friend, ex, big deal."

"I have a scope," announced a voice behind Quistis. Irvine was half-hidden behind the outer wall of a house. His left eye was behind the scope, Valiant propped on his shoulder, pointer ready. "And the clearest view of the day. Nice wind, too."

"I'm not trigger-safe," said Wedge, his gun moved behind Rinoa's head hiding his fingers from Irvine. "But if you want to try and see if I can't pull when I'm dead, go ahead."

Irvine set his mouth in a grim line.

"Truce, soldier," Quistis said. "The best deal you'll ever have in this condition."

Wedge hesitated. "All guns up but the sniper's. You guys can walk away looking back."

"Deal."

"Are we really?" murmured Rinoa.

"Try nothing," said Wedge. "I have full helmet. You have your hair. Our differences are how many bullets we can take."

Rinoa nodded. Wedge released her and stepped back at the same time Irvine put his Valiant down. Wedge's machine gun still aimed at her head. Zell and Squall stood and walked to Quistis's side. Seifer motioned for Selphie to slink along the junk shop wall to the team. He ambled to them, keeping Wedge's attention to the machine gun still up at him.

"Can you spare this town?" asked Rinoa, turning to Wedge. "Please?"

"What the hell?" said Zell. "Rinoa, come here."

"Come on!" Rinoa said to the team. "We can't let the Galbadian soldiers torch this place!"

"We'll see what happens when it happens," said Wedge.

"But…!" Rinoa faltered when she saw his machine gun aimed at her. She stepped back.

"Get here, Princess," called Seifer. "The deal's not for him to listen to your babble."

Rinoa shook her head. She turned and headed to the team.

"Seifer, why don't you take Rinoa and the rest back to the Garden?" said Quistis. "I'll see you guys later."

"Wait a minute…" Rinoa said. Seifer threw the gun into the sea, grabbed her arm and hauled her away from the plaza. "Hey, listen! We can't let—"

"You can talk and walk at the same time, Rin."

Selphie looked at Squall and Quistis who stood still. Their eyes were on Wedge, who put his machine gun down. "See you guys later?"

Squall waved her away.

"How many soldiers are around except the ones here?" Quistis asked when the team had left. "I assume you only have them."

Wedge said nothing. He propped Biggs and hefted his captain up his shoulder.

"You have the command now," said Squall. "You can't burn this place all on your own."

Wedge shook his head. "That never crossed my mind. I'm going to get my captain to safety. I assume you'll keep your promise."

"We're not going to shoot you on your back," said Quistis. "Ever thought you got your loyalty on the wrong side?"

Wedge tilted his head. "...I was born in Galbadia. Raised in Galbadia. Galbadia is my whole life. I know where I'm going to die and for what."

Squall folded his arms. He watched Wedge wobble to the Galbadian sea vessel anchored behind the junk shop.

"He's almost sane," he murmured.

"You can't kill his captain anyway," said Quistis. "Make sure the enemy always keeps the fool in charge. Smart leader is dangerous."

"I'll remember that."

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

Selphie nudged the broken beam on the stage with her boots. She looked around the damaged Quad, to all the broken tiles and planks around her and frowned at Seifer. He leaned on the wall beside the entrance. "This is so bad."

Seifer shrugged, keeping his shoulders flat on the wall. "I'll say. The Garden's crashing to FH at that speed. I'm surprised this place's still standing."

Selphie turned back to the broken stage. "I really wanted to see a band perform here. I even had my eyes set on a few people, too. Oh well..."

Seifer rolled his eyes. "I'm not one of them, am I?"

"Can you play an instrument?"

"Nope, let's say I can't."

"Not that it matters…" Selphie crouched and watched the damaged base of the open stage she had built months ago.

Seifer cursed when he saw her slumped shoulders. "All right." He stepped next to her. "I got no skills on rebuilding this thing, so that's out. I'm not going to play the band, cross that one out. I can offer to pick all these trashes, but Cid just told me the machines and techs from FH are all allowed in, and I'm no match for the damn crane. I can't manage the whole band and stage thing either, there's no way they're going to agree to perform if I'm the one asking."

Selphie shook her head. "Your point?"

"My point is, I can't do anything about this." Seifer took Selphie's hand into his and pulled her up. "But I got money. So let's eat."

Selphie followed the man into the hall. "And then what?"

"Then we'll go to the Training Centre, and I'll think about the rest after we kill at least three Rexs."

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

"The Galbadians were searching for Ellone. That seemed to be their main objective in FH." Squall stood in front of the headmaster. Quistis, once again, had walked past Cid and stood next to the office window, watching Fisherman's Horizon from above. "I believe that Sorceress Edea is behind all this."

"Ellone has the ability to allow people to experience the past," said Quistis. "Maybe the sorceress is after her for this ability."

Cid nodded. "So now the Galbadians are working for the sorceress, and were searching for Ellone in FH..."

"They had orders to burn the city down," informed Squall.

"That would help reduce the number of potential places where she could hide. Most likely, she will not stop this onslaught until Ellone is found. She will continue to hunt her, and burn everything in her path." Cid turned to Quistis. "We can't wait any longer."

Squall looked when Cid walked to the console and turned on the loudspeaker. _So he's finally going official. About time._

"This is Headmaster Cid. I have an announcement to make. The Garden is being repaired right now. We'll leave FH immediately after it's finished. We're going on a journey to defeat the sorceress. Garden will now be used as a mobile base. The administration of Garden will be run by myself and the staff, as usual. This journey will involve many battles. A well-qualified leader is needed for this."

Cid halted and looked at Quistis. She hesitated for a bit and nodded.

"I am appointing Quistis Trepe as your new leader. She will decide our destination and battle plan."

Squall gazed at Quistis.

"If there are any objections, please come see me in person." Cid switched off the loudspeaker.

"You two must have talked about this," said Squall.

"We have," said Cid. "She is knowledgeable and experienced in the battlefield. She is more than qualified for anything comes in our way."

Quistis smiled. "My track record's not that good."

"Your record is excellent," said Cid, smiling. "You always gave your best."

Quistis' eyes flew to Squall. "I'm going to need some people under my command."

Squall's brow rose.

"I appointed Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy as my Lieutenants."

Cid's smile grew wider. He turned to Squall. "Excellent choice. We're going to need someone who is very in control."

_And someone who is so out of it he flew off the handle_, thought Squall.

Cid waited. "Squall?"

"I… I accept."

"Very well!" Cid patted the gunblader's shoulder. "The three of you will make outstanding leaders!"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

The lock beeped. Seifer pushed the door open, turned on the light switch and walked in. "Here's the room."

Quistis walked into the empty room, Squall followed behind. He studied the dim bulb and peeled off plasters on the wall. The white tile was cracked on one corner. Quistis fingered the windowsill on the wall. The dirty window was big, taking almost half the space of the wall. Outside, Squall saw a familiar quiet corner of the clinic hall leading to the infirmary and the main hall. The empty room was on the corner of the dormitory.

"Can you open this?" she asked. Seifer walked over and pushed the window open. Fresh air breezed in and filled the dusty SeeD room. "Perfect."

Seifer looked around. "You really want to set up an office here? Seems too much work."

Quistis eyed Seifer and said nothing.

"Let me guess," Seifer mumbled. "We're the one who is going to set up _your_ office here."

"I can't possibly work in the headmaster's office, can I? After all, where else is he going to change?"

Seifer was already calculating the repairs he needed to do. He groaned. "I can't fit the crane here."

Squall was staring at the broken plaster. "You know how to paint. We can move the desk without a crane."

"If you want to haul the desk, do it yourself. Me, I can outsource."

Quistis decided to pass on the comment. If Seifer wanted to blackmail some students to make sure she got her office ready in days, she'd let it slide. She was listing the furniture in her head. A big desk, a chair, sofa, several chairs, smaller than her main one, of course, a telephone, probably a television, a radio, a bookshelf, curtains for the window…

Outside of the Garden, in front of Dobe's house, Irvine stood on a ready stage. He whistled to catch everyone's attention.

"Hey everyone!" he said. "Here's our producer, Selphie."

Selphie grinned behind him. She stepped forward. "Ahem! We'll be holding the concert as planned." She pointed at Garden, and everyone followed her pointed finger. It was shining with all the lights on tonight. The technicians had fixed the lights and elevator first. "The performance is also for Quistis, Squall and Seifer. To congratulate them on their recent promotion."

Zell nodded. "Gotcha! So, who's gonna perform?"

"We are," replied Irvine.

"Yeah right."

"Let's just give it a try," said Selphie. "We have everything ready and all we need is 4 people."

"I can ask Fuu and Rai," said Zell. "I think they can play something."

"Seifer can play the guitar and harmonica. Oh, wait… he's not supposed to know." Rinoa clapped her hands. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"

Selphie looked at her. "Oh, sorry, Rinoa, but you're not gonna be a member."

Rinoa gaped. "You're leaving me out?"

"Noo. We have something more important for you to do."

"I asked the techs and they said we're going to be here for a few more days," said Irvine. "A week max. We have until then to practice for the performance."

"Rinoa, I'm going to tell you what to do after this."

"You can count on me!"

Selphie bounced on her heels. "It's gonna be a blast!"

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

* * *

To be continued…

* * *

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

A/N: For a military school like Garden where everyone was supposedly being taught about safety and private rooms, everybody was coming in and out of Squall's room whenever they wanted. Rinoa, Selphie, Zell, Wild Chocobos, Geezards...

Weird… considering how private Squall was supposed to be, and how they must have been taught security protocols and all the safety checks they would need to perform during jobs. Well, it ain't gonna happen here. Newsflash: mercenary kids don't open up their doors to just anyone, military dorm rooms HAVE LOCKS, and it will be ON plus NOISY ALARM and LOADED GLOCK _especially when they went to sleep_. Real life Leonhart wouldn't wake up that calmly with Rinoa hovering above him, not already killing her with the sharp end of his Revolver before he sobered up. And this suicidal brat who _didn't trust anyone_ slept so far from his Gunblade tucked in the case all that reach away and unlocked door was the main character in this supposedly military academy…?

Someone in Enix needed a security lesson.

A/N number two: Why would a headmaster of a military school choose someone who had botched not one but two of the only missions he had so far and with no other track records, a new fresh graduate nonetheless, with a low level SeeD skill, no social skill, no negotiation skill, nothing else but the gunblade and scowl (and leather, let's not forget the leather), when he got someone else more viable for the position? Cid's all about nepotism but he was supposed to be smart if nothing else…


	30. Peace at Last!

**Chapter 30**

**Peace at Last…?!**

-x-x-x-x-x-

"So he's not going to concede his title?"

"I doubt he's going to, ever. We know for sure Leonhart likes Card. Being in CC must be heaven for him." The King's Jester Number Two focused on the set of traded Cards in his hand. "Where's your Leviathan, Jeremy?"

Jester Number Three shrugged. "He took it from me. He was pretty pissed when I told him I couldn't give him the Joker title."

"Like was too gentle a word," said Quistis's Jester Number One. "Why did you even give him the Card box years ago, Jace?"

Jester Number Two grimaced. "Wish you'd seen the lost look on that boy's face. He was like a lost puppy… all alone with nothing better to do. And why did you tell him about CC, Jackson? He's not going to cut through our rank if he had no idea we existed."

Quistis's Jester Number One, the CC Jack offered a Malboro Card to Jacob, frowning when he only got a Grendel Card in return. "I had no idea all he wanted was King's room card, okay? Where're all your other Card, Jace? Give me my Malboro back. How can I field our fence with all these?" He waved a Geezard Card in the air. "Anyone got a better Card? I lost it all to Club. He was gunning for some Uncommon Cards to get back to that new Diamond number two of yours, King."

"Leonhart did something to him?" asked the CC Joker.

Jacob peered at Quistis's direction. "Our King's Card."

Jack whistled. "Seriously? He'd do that to the Trepie club leader?"

Quistis closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what was worse, having a die-hard Trepie quite up high in her rank or having her Card in Squall Leonhart's hand. She was experienced in taming a Trepie, of course, but she wondered what Squall wanted with her Card. Granted, her Card had really high numbers, but still…

"Don't even attempt to take my Card from him," she ordered. Her three Jesters stared at her.

"You sure?" asked Jacob. "Club does act like a maniac lately. If he can't get your Card back…"

"Leonhart is a Diamond now. You three had lost from him. He got all your best Cards. I'm out of good Cards because everyone came to me begging for free Cards in order to flank him. If this continues, I'm going to be a King with level one Cards."

"He's just a duplicate Diamond. Club is our original, we have to help him flank the duplicate…" mumbled Jackson.

"If the original's causing trouble, King's going to boot him out anyway," answered Jacob. "I'm sure the King has been looking for this chance forever. Club's intention was never really hidden from the start."

The King eyed his most well-spoken Jester, not even hiding her irritated expression. "True. Whenever the originals do or say something the King thinks is going to be bad for the whole rank, they're out."

Jacob squirmed. "Have I said how pretty you look lately, my beautiful one?"

"What are you talking about, Jace?" said Jackson. "Our King is always gorgeous. I mean, look at that hair! That eyes! That-"

"That will be enough," said the King.

Jeremy chuckled while looking around his King's newly painted office room with interest. Especially the new brown leather sofa Seifer had just blackmailed some of the new cadets to bring in last night.

"Don't even think about it, Joker," said Quistis.

"What? I'm not going to do anything."

"Only because she caught you way too early," Jacob said, running his tattooed hand through his dark hair. "I doubt she'll give you a key anymore considering what you did to her room the last time."

"Before or after I got sent to that Prison mission?"

"You broke into my room when I'm in the clinic?" asked Quistis.

"I didn't say that." Jeremy tilted his head to the side. He slowly pocketed his Cards. "Were you expecting someone?"

Jacob eyed the quiet third Jester. "Heard something?"

The B&E specialist smirked. "A gunblade clang inside the sheath, out the door."

"Does the gunblade sound heavy?" said Jackson, quickly shuffling his Card inside the box and replacing it in his breast pocket.

"Nah, can't be that one. He'll just barge through if he wants," whispered Jacob, his set of newly traded Cards disappeared from view. "The bull never got any interest in us."

"Leonhart," called Quistis after Jacob replaced her Card box in her topmost desk drawer. "Come in."

The door opened. A pair of hesitant eyes looked inside. He studied Jacob, Jeremy and Jackson before landing his eyes on Quistis.

"Heey, the new Lieu." Jacob adopted his most pleasant expression. "Congratulations on your promotion!"

"So that concludes our meeting," said Quistis. "Thank you for your time. You may take your leave now."

Jackson sighed and pulled the door ajar, walking past Squall. Jacob and Jeremy followed not long behind. Squall shuffled on his feet, halfway into Quistis' office.

"Meeting?" he said.

"Meeting," said Quistis. She stood, leaving the circle of four chairs in the middle of the room. "What do you want, Leonhart?"

Meeting with two high-level SeeDs and one popular cadet with no Lieutenant around? And how on Gaia did he get back to _Leonhart_ again? Squall paced inside.

"We'll be leaving in two days," he said. "I was wondering if we have a certain destination yet."

"I was thinking about scouting Balamb," said Quistis when Squall closed the door behind him. "We know now what the Galbadians are searching for. We need to place some of our best scouts around the area so they can get back to us when they spot something out of ordinary."

"Are they supposed to be the scouts?"

"Who? Jace and the rest? No, I was thinking more of the line of… well, Zell. Nobody's going to be surprised if he comes home to Balamb at times like these."

"May I know what the meeting was all about?"

Quistis stopped in front of her desk. She gazed at Squall. "It was a personal meeting. We were just checking up on each other, that's all."

"You dismissed them. It didn't sound personal."

"It was. Sorry, but it really was none of your business."

Squall bet it wasn't, seeing that the chummy atmosphere around the four crashed to the ground when he peered in.

"Is there anything else, Leonhart?"

_Yeah. When did I get back to Leonhart? _"No."

"Good. Can you call Seifer in when you see him?"

_Seifer_. Of course, now that he's back… _Seifer_. Squall wrenched the door handle and got himself out the door only to bump into the one Quistis wanted to see.

"Careful, Sulky," said Seifer, pushing the man backwards. "What's with the 'someone killed my moomba' look today? Worse than the last time I saw you."

Squall was certain his expression didn't change any. "Let's train."

"…Really?" Seifer studied Squall up and down, and shrugged. "Sorry, runt, I got a date. I'm not sure I want to train with you acting like this anyway. Rain check?"

_Date…_ All Squall wanted was to train with Seifer, and maybe smashed his nose to the ground. "Your date's inside. I gotta go."

"Inside…? What… she's in FH…" Seifer trailed off, looking at Squall stomping his way to the main hall. He frowned and pushed the office door open. "Hey. Selphie's here?"

Quistis looked up from the document she was reviewing. "No. I need to talk to you."

"Can it wait? I need to have a lunch with Selphie. Squall said she's inside." Seifer frowned, looking around. There was no spot of yellow jumper or brown hair hiding around the wide curtains or behind the sofa. As crazy as Selphie was, she wouldn't hide between Quistis's legs under the desk. It's not that Selphie wouldn't think of it, but Quistis would never allow that. "That's weird."

"He said Selphie's inside? He was just in."

"He said my date's insi-" Seifer stopped. He ran the words through his head and scowled to Quistis. "Hell, no. What'd you say to the kitten?"

Quistis avoided his glare. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You told him we're dating? He was going to claw my eyes out!" Seifer shoved the door close with his heel. "Explain. I don't have much time for the soap-opera bullshit, so I need to know what you just put me into."

"Seifer…"

"Or maybe I'll tell the kitten how you rejected me back in Timber."

-x-x-x-x-x-

"So apparently I'm taken," Seifer said, shoving another piece of grilled fish into his mouth. "We really need to get out of this place. I'm sick of fish. I breathe fish."

Beside him, sitting on the repaired end of the far deck, Selphie sucked a single thread of pasta from the plate into her. "Why did she have to lie to Squall like that? It's not like he's going to care if Quistis dates anyone, right?"

Seifer eyed Selphie, brow raised.

"I mean… Squall has his hands full with Rinoa and the Timber mission, and now he has to help Quistis with the war plan." Selphie twirled the rest of the pasta around her fork.

"Whose hands full with Rinoa? We're talking about the same guy here, right? The one with the scar on his head like mine and the forever loopy-sick expression? How did Rinoa even get into the equation?"

The pasta stopped halfway to her waiting mouth, Selphie studied Seifer's expression. "Rinoa and Squall were pretty good to each other during our Timber mission, and before all of us got separated at Deling."

Seifer narrowed his eyes. "Right. She was dancing with him at our graduation party." Something didn't add up. "Quistis was lying so he wouldn't realize that we were in Timber to spy on the sorceress. Back then we need to cover up the mission." But Squall changed his scowl… Seifer was well-versed in a hundred and fifty ways of Squall's scowls, so he was sure the one he got outside the office meant jealousy. "Well, hell."

"Are you going to tell Squall and Zelly about it?" Selphie twirled more pasta into her fork.

"About what? Nothing's really going on. Anyway, whatever they think doesn't concern me. I don't have to suck up to those brats. How's the concert preparation going on?"

Selphie avoided a glimpse of the very obvious circular stage in front of Dobe's house. Irvine and Zell were shouting at each other on top of it, mentioning something sounded like a 'schedules' and 'pervert sniper ruining up everything'."What concert?"

Seifer snorted. "Right. And that's not traces of oil under your nails."

Selphie put down the fork and wiped her hands on the edge of her shorts. "Did anyone in Garden have a PCS? Aside from Nida?"

Seifer frowned. "Quistis got one, I think. Just use the Garden line if you want to call someone."

Selphie picked up her fork and continued the attack on her pasta.

"You still can't contact Trabia?"

The girl shrugged. "Some say no news is good news."

When a massive Garden suddenly disappeared from the line, it definitely didn't spell good news. But he kept silent, finishing the last of his grilled fish. The Garden cafeteria had just refreshed their menu, and they had to be creative in thinking up new ones according to the stock they could obtain in the area. Seifer took a look at the new menu and went out the Garden once he realized they all had fish in them. The FH inn was out of food but a grilled fish and fish pasta. He was planning on some fasting after this lunch, until the Garden undocked. If he missed FH, it wouldn't be anytime soon.

"Oh, there you are! Seifer!" Rinoa waved to them. "Hi, Selph! Seifer, can I ask you something?"

"You're gonna ask anyway even if I say no."

"So what does Squall like to watch?"

"_Who_ likes to watch _what_ now?"

"Well, you see, I need to know this for some reason, so just tell me what Squall likes to watch on his downtime."

Seifer stared at Rinoa as if she had just grown a second head. "We were cadets. We got no downtime. Any free time he got, he went to work in Balamb and training. What makes you think he's going to watch something on TV? Can you ever picture that kid sitting down to watch something with others?"

"Card," Selphie piped up. "Squall likes to play Card. He doesn't watch TV."

"We all _know_ he likes to play Card." Rinoa grimaced. "But I can't possibly battle him if I don't have Cards on my own. If by any chance…"

"Not even in hell, no. I collect them not to give them away to the brat."

"You're going to lose anyway," said Selphie. "He's going to wipe you out and leave after he gets all the Cards he wants."

"Yeah, I know. So I was thinking if he has a favourite movie, something we both can relate to. I'm not really a Card person myself."

"Why do _you_ have to relate to him? What's this all about?"

"Everyone's rooting for me to bring him up!"

"Every—" Seifer must have shown his disbelief so clearly on his face, because Rinoa scowled and pointed at him.

"See! I knew I shouldn't tell you that! But it's true!"

"Hm." Seifer eyed Selphie, who was tracing the empty plate in her lap as if it was a very absorbing manual for the new rocket. "One of the _everyone_ must be next to me."

"Oooh," Selphie cooed at her plate, "this must be the new plate Irvy was talking about! It has salmon on it! Look! How pretty!"

"And the other one must be the noisy one on the stage right now," continued Seifer. "He's not the sniper."

"Squall has been pretty gloomy lately," said Rinoa. She crouched between the pair. "So do you know or don't you? What's his favourite show?"

"Why don't you ask the other everyone? He's the ex-roommate. Me, I never watched anything with him. I was more into watching him making a fool of himself."

"I think I have a clue…" Selphie whispered. "He uses gunblade."

Rinoa perked up. "And?"

"Everyone watched Cloud the Mako when they were little. For him to use gunblade as his weapon, he must like the show."

"That ancient show? The one filled with a hundred episode fillers and still haven't finished even now?" Rinoa considered the suggestion. "Come to think about it, Squall does act like Cloud, isn't he? Aloof and a bit sad. Like he was tortured with his past or something."

"Like hell he acts like Cloud!" Seifer said. "How on earth did you get to compare a super SOLDIER to someone who behaves like a Grat bite him in the ass every single day?"

Selphie and Rinoa stared at his outburst.

"Did I just insult your favourite hero, Seifer?" said Rinoa.

"So that's why you insist on using your gunblade with one hand?" Selphie murmured. "The pose you often wore did remind me a little like Cloud's victory pose."

The Cloud worshipper scowled. "What, _now_ we're talking about me? I thought you two were gossiping about Leonhart just seconds ago."

Rinoa rolled her eyes and stood up. "So Cloud the Mako it is. Thanks, Selph. Thanks for nothing, Seifer."

Seifer shook his head at Rinoa's departure. "This is going to blow."

"What?" Selphie looked at the stage, wariness in her eyes. "Not now, not on my watch!"

"Everyone's a damn busybody." Seifer pulled out his new wallet and took out some Gils. "You go ahead and pay up for these. I got to make sure the kids haul up the right bookcase."

-x-x-x-x-x-

_We're going to leave the land again tomorrow._ Squall shuffled his Card back into his preferred list and replaced them back into his box. He closed the lid and looked around his room. _I'm bored... What's everybody doing?_

There were some footsteps in front of his door. He listened, and stood up from his bed. Keeping his ear to the door, he heard voices.

"I don't see why I have to go to FH at this hour," protested a familiar voice. "Why do I have to—"

"Last night on the land, sweetie," said Irvine. "Let's just go out and have fun!"

_Quistis_. Irvine must have gotten her out of her office for a change of fresh air. Squall pushed his door open.

"There he is," Zell said in front of his room. "Hey, Squall, let's go." He nodded to someone behind Squall's door. "He's all yours."

_Go where?_ Squall pushed the door wider and saw Rinoa smiling at him. She was wearing the same beige dress she used during the graduation party. Zell trailed behind Quistis and Irvine, already disappeared from the dorm hall.

"So what's up?" said Rinoa.

_Tired._

"You look so down? Come on, Squall, how old are you? You're still a teenager. Why don't you act like one for a change?"

_...Just tired._

"Ok, come on. Let's go to the concert."

_What?_ "Sorry. I'm not in the mood."

"How come?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

Rinoa chuckled. "...Oh, you're so predictable. ...Ok, I'm sorry. I can understand why you wouldn't be in the mood. You're probably tired from all the sudden work she put on your shoulders. It all happened so fast. So we thought it'd be good for you to come and unwind a little. Plus I have something important that I want to talk to you about."

"Who's we?"

"Who else? Selphie, Zell, Irvine, and, of course, me. Come on...Please, for me? There's no point if you don't show up."

_I don't know..._ "...Sorry. I just don't feel like it."

"Fine... I guess I'll have to bug you for the rest of the night. And I'm gonna keep chanting 'concert, concert, concert' and drive you nuts. Is that what you want?"

Squall scowled.

Rinoa grinned. "I'm getting to you already, huh? Looks like you have no choice!"

It wasn't like his room offered any other entertainment anyway. Squall closed the door, waiting for the lock to settle in place and paced ahead of Rinoa.

He met Irvine on the way down to FH. The sniper grinned at his appearance and waved to Squall. When he went closer, he bent down and whispered, "Looking good together. So like...I found this place. It's perfect for you guys."

Squall closed his eyes. _Give me a break..._

"It's by the stage. You can't miss it. I left an old magazine there. You can thank me later. Have fun. Just let it all out tonight."

_Let what out tonight? This guy is sick_. "Are you finished?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't want to interrupt you getting good with your special someone." Irvine patted Squall on the shoulder and walked away. Squall stared at the sniper's leaving back. Below them, he saw Selphie pull Seifer to the bottom steps of the stage. The blond looked resigned to his fate, just following wherever the small hand pulled him, no enthusiasm on his face. Quistis stood across from the pair with Nida. She whispered something at him while watching the giant man… wait, was that Raijin? He was tapping on the stage with a pair of black and white dancing shoes and his usual cargo pants. Raijin was tap dancing…

Squall palmed his face.

"Let's go!" called Rinoa, already waiting for the elevator.

Squall forced his feet to move.

Selphie beamed when they arrived in front of the stage. She clapped her hands and made everyone look at her. "Everybody! Welcome to the concert! This is all for you three, Quistis, Squall and of course, Seifer! Congratulations, you guys! Enjoy the show! Rinoa, don't let Squall get away!"

"Oh, I bet she won't," mumbled Seifer next to Selphie.

Squall rolled his eyes. _Whatever..._

"Ready? Okay, thanks, Raijin…"

The giant man kept tapping his heels, concentration on his face, looking down at his shoes. Zell, Fujin and Irvine walked up the stage. Zell waited behind the keyboard, Fujin held a silver flute and Irvine carried an acoustic guitar. Raijin kept dancing.

"Raijin! Stop!"

The man stopped at once and looked at Selphie. "What, you know?"

"It's good!" said Selphie, giving him two thumbs up.

Raijin grinned.

Next to the concert producer, Seifer gave a pained expression, but he managed to say nothing.

Selphie raised her hands and motioned to the band behind Raijin. "This time with everyone, okay? Ready? A-one, two, three..."

Fujin started blowing into her flute, followed by a hesitant note from Zell. Irvine ran his fingers through the strings, his movement solid and easy. Then Raijin started moving again.

"Oh, just kill me now," Squall heard Seifer groan when the sound of the taps collided with the gentle song from the newly formed band. "I gave up my night training to watch him stomping roaches on the stage."

"Quit being a party-pooper," said Selphie. "Let's go there! I got us a bench!" She turned around to Squall and pointed at a rather secluded spot on the bottom of the stage. "There's your spot!"

Squall watched Quistis and Nida. The two looked at the band with grimaces on both faces. Nida shook his head and whispered something to Quistis. She laughed at the words.

Seifer sat down the small bench next to the stage. "Nice band," he said. "Dreadful tap dancer."

Selphie plopped down next to him. "What do you know about the band? You said you don't play an instrument."

"I said let's pretend I can't play." Seifer studied the way Irvine picked the strings. "He's good."

"And you know this because you can play guitar."

Seifer looked at Selphie.

"And harmonica," continued Selphie, eyes on the stage. "But you pretend you can't play."

"She told you that, huh? Rin's good at claiming she knew things that she never really understood in the first place."

"That's not really the case, right? You played for her."

Seifer sighed. "We were dating. I was trying to impress her, of course. What else should I do?"

Selphie kept her eyes on the stage. "So she did know everything about you."

"Really? We were together for two months. She knew very little about me. Did she say she knows everything about me? She didn't even know I use gunblade."

Selphie turned to Seifer with a question in her eyes.

"No, really. I left my gunblade back in Garden when I went to that crazy eight weeks escape. Civilians don't use weapons on a daily basis. I thought I wouldn't miss mine."

Selphie looked down to Seifer's calloused hand. Nobody would ever think that hand never did manual labour. She shrugged. "Everybody knows you're using gunblade. She sure knows about it now."

Next to her, Seifer was quiet. When Irvine's guitar strummed on the second song, he mumbled, "Okay… don't tell this to everyone then."

Selphie blinked and turned to look at Seifer, but his hand on her jaw kept her face straight on the stage. He leant close to her, and as the melody swayed around them, Seifer's lips opened next to her ear.

Then he sang.

Squall turned and walked to the spot Selphie mentioned. Rinoa was waiting next to a magazine on the floor. Squall crouched and picked up the magazine.

_What the…_

"Ohh, a naughty magazine," said Rinoa. She sat on the ledge above the FH's long array of solar panels.

_I thought he was kidding_. Squall threw the Girls Next Door magazine away. He sat next to her. "You wanted to talk about something, right? What is it?"

"Umm...well it's about your promotion. Things are gonna get real tough for you, huh?"

_I don't want to think about it._

"Squall, I'm sure there'll be a lot of difficult things that you'll have to deal with from now on. We were talking about that, and saying how you'll probably try to handle everything on your own."

_I probably will._

"They know you too well. I do, too, although I haven't been around you that long. Y'know, when you start thinking, you tend to frown like this." Rinoa put her hand to her face and frowned. Squall scowled and tried to push the girl away, but she stood back out of his reach and laughed.

Squall shook his head. "I'm out of here."

"Oh come on! I'm sorry! But really, we were saying that... well... You can't handle everything on your own." She walked behind him and shoved Squall down to the solar panels. Squall fell down and turned back with a furious expression on his face, finding that Rinoa had jumped down, as well. "That's it! Just let out everything! Anything... We want you to talk to us a little more. That's all. Y'know, if there's anything you want to tell us, or anything we can do, don't hesitate to let us know. I know it's not easy but I wish you would trust us and rely on us a little more."

Squall stood on the panels, face down, thinking about Rinoa's words. We… We… _Who's we? Are you sure you weren't just talking about yourself? Those who have been around me long… Seifer, Zell, Quistis… they always knew what I meant when I did something. I don't have to explain myself to them. They'd understand. Who is this 'we' you're talking about…? Selphie? Irvine? Even they begin to catch up…_

Rinoa frowned and looked back to the stage when the song went downhill. A loud thud reverberated and Seifer's impressive curses could be heard even from the distance. "I don't understand."

Squall blinked and looked at Rinoa's confused face. Huh!? What? Oh me? "Sorry about that. ...I don't need you to understand me."

Rinoa turned back to face him despite the raising voices on the stage. Someone loud-sobbed through all the noises. "Huh? What did you say?"

"I said that… umm, I don't want everybody to understand who I am."

"What? Oh! No, no, no. I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about the music. I love this piece but it's been terrible for the last few minutes. Geez, what are they doing?"

Squall shrugged, not caring about the stage from the start. "Oh. Well...I'll see you later, alright?"

Rinoa pointed her finger at him. "Wait! You're not gettin' off that easy. You still owe me an answer."

_Answer for what...? Oh..._ "Fine. I'll ask for help when I really need it. I'll try to trust everybody more often. Ok?"

Rinoa gaped. "What is your problem? Why do you have to be like that? Are you mad or something? Tell me you are, because this really can't be you!"

_Can't be me… what?_ "I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry! You just wanna get the hell out of here, that's all! Geez! Why does it have to be like this!? Why?"

Rinoa turned back on her heels and ran away, leaving the confused gunblader.

"Seify! Come back here!"

"Ah, damn it," whispered a sound behind Squall. He looked back to see Seifer crawling down the bottom of the stage to the panels. "Hey, you, don't say anything."

Squall narrowed his eyes.

"Seify! You have to apologize to Rai! Seify, where are you?"

"Like hell I would." Seifer crawled along the panels to the edge of the stage, then crept back up the deck and ran into the darkness.

"Squall!" Selphie appeared on the bottom of the stage. "Did you see Seifer? Hey, where's Rinoa?"

"Whatever. I'm getting back to my room. Thanks for setting up the concert."

"Wait! Did you see Seifer? Now where's that… ah, why did everything become like this?" Squall heard Selphie moan behind him.

He walked to the elevator leading up to the Garden and called out to the shadow behind the inn, "Still want to train tonight?"

"She's gonna strangle me if I get back to my room right away," answered a voice behind the stacked crates. "Meet me in front of the Training Centre in ten minutes."

-x-x-x-x-x-

When Squall arrived on the bridge the next morning, he saw Quistis chatted with Xu and Nida. She noticed his arrival.

"We're ready to go," she said to her Lieu. "I already assigned duties."

Xu raised a finger in the air. "I'll take care of all the supplies needed in the Garden."

Quistis assented with a nod. "And until I'm getting my full-range back, I'll be in Garden, taking care of the students with Dr. Kadowaki. Your job is to focus on our battle plans. Seifer will be my field Lieutenant and work on the ground more while I'm healing. The two of you can choose your own team and then get your reports and reviews to me. When I'm good for battle, I'll be in the field again, but we'll talk about it later."

"Fine..."

Nida smirked at him. He was standing next to the bridge console. "Hey, Squall."

"Hey."

"It's Nida. We passed the SeeD exam together."

"Yes… I know."

"The Garden's ready to go anytime. Oh yeah. I'll be piloting the Garden. FH technicians taught me everything about piloting this thing. We're going to leave FH in an hour. If you haven't got anything you need, you'll have to get it now."

Quistis looked at FH from the window. "We're leaving for Balamb. ETA: five days."

Squall calculated the time they took to get to FH. "That's fast."

"Well, the Garden moves freely versus being piloted makes a lot of differences in time," said Nida. "Anyway, someone better make an announcement to everyone so they can prepare for our departure."

"Just do it, Nida," said Quistis.

Nida switched on the intercom. He cleared his throat and said, "May I have your attention please. This is the bridge. The Garden will be leaving FH soon. Please prepare for departure. I will now hand the mic over to our Commander, Quistis."

"Cut it off," said Quistis. "I'll say something later when it's really important."

"Well, our Commander's being shy. You know how she is," Nida said, grinning. "One hour before departure. Get ready, guys."

-x-x-x-x-x-

Selphie soon got used to the sway of the Garden as it waded through the ocean. She was supporting her chin with her palm and her elbow on the desk, glaring at her computer screen, where her public diary waited in front of her. The blog was already half-filled with the mess that was the first concert she held in Balamb Garden. She had been planning to write her adventure from the time they had to escape from the prison to the time she returned, but the concert event had taken up most of the blog space.

When the class door slid open and the man she had been looking for hours ambled in, she kept her eyes on the screen and smashed the keyboard, typing down more of her disastrous concert night.

He sat next to her and read what she had written. Seifer grimaced when he reached the bottom of the blog.

"I did not throw the smoke bomb and disappear," he protested. "What am I, Kisaragi? Come on, even that's too dramatic for a blog. Nobody's going to believe it. I was training with Leonhart last night."

"Rai's crying all night," said Selphie. "So I am not talking to you."

"He's not crying. I know Rai. He's wailing and howling all night. I had a DC meeting this morning. But come on, even you have to admit he's an awful dancer."

"What are you doing here?"

"Sulking doesn't suit you at all. Oh, speaking about sulking…" Seifer frowned. "I need you not to sulk when I seem too close to Quistis for the next few… well, I don't know until when, but I'll tell you now it's nothing so you won't pelt me with stones or suchlike weapon. Just in case."

"You're her Lieu, of course you two are going to be close."

"No, it's not like that." Seifer groaned. "Just trust me, even when I happen to hug or maybe touch her in public later, nothing's really going on, okay?"

Selphie's fingers hovered above the keys. She stared blankly at the screen, turned to Seifer, to the screen, and back to Seifer. Then, she murmured, "Why would I get angry if… are you warning me… am I… but I thought… why are you saying this to me?"

Seifer smirked at her incredulous expression. "Good question. Why did I say that? Did I warn you? Would you?"

Selphie kept staring at Seifer when he stood, patted her head and left.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"I'm here." Zell entered the Secret Area. "Hey. What's so important it can't wait until tomorrow?"

"Hey, Zell," Rinoa said. She pushed herself off the railing and headed towards him. "So, I… umm, I heard we're going to land in Balamb soon?"

"Yeah?"

"As in, only three days from now? So, I need you to teach me martial arts."

"Whoa. Hold up. Teach you martial arts? Like… _now_?"

"Yes. Now." Rinoa put her hands together in front of her. "You see, I want to help you guys, so I need to be able to defend myself when we're in danger."

"Why would you be in any danger? Nobody will harm you."

"I mean you guys. When you guys are in danger, I want to help! Maybe I can help you more if I know how to fight like you."

Zell scratched his head. He was about to mention that they were in the academy of SeeDs where everyone knew how to fight and Rinoa wouldn't have to worry about helping them during any danger. In fact, it would be better if she learned how to hide and conceal herself during such times and let them do what they did best.

"I noticed during the last battle that nobody was drawing out their own weapon against the Galbadian. You guys were charging with your body, even Seifer and Squall."

That one happened because they had to use the little ahead time they had to get on the first frontal attack. If they had been planning to attack the soldiers in the first place, Squall would never resort to using his fist and shoulder. In such case, the element of surprise was the best they could grab on. The SeeDs were trained to use the best tactics in any situation. The last scuffle was more like a hostage treaty gone wrong and none of them were fans for such event.

"I think…" Zell began, "Didn't your dad teach you martial arts? I mean, you _are_ the General's daughter..."

"He did when I was little. As I grew, he became so busy. Then he made the neighbour kid teach me how to defend myself."

"Well, so you know how to do it already."

"Yeah, right, as in how to use pepper spray, how to scream as loud as possible, how to yell 'Fire' and not anything else, how to run zig-zag, how to call the police and how to say 'help' and 'no' in at least ten languages."

Damn. There went Zell's plan on the civilian self-defence lessons. "You do have to admit it's better for you not to fight anyone head-on if you can help it."

"Seifer told me I have to do one thing right if I want to be able to fight. When I asked him to train me, he took me to the running ground and told me to run like hell."

Damn Seifer for covering up Zell's second plan. "Running indeed is the best way when you are being confronted against your will."

"What if I _want_ to fight?"

Zell stared at her, horrified. "Please tell me you don't plan on learning martial arts so you can fight anyone with your fist. That's not why you learn martial arts."

Rinoa answered Zell's statement with another stare.

"I'm not going to train you. It's not how martial arts work." Zell shook his head. "Rinoa, you can't possibly learn anything real in three days. And you are planning to be able to fight _in order to fight_. That's the worst reason for learning martial arts."

"What are you talking about? _You_ were learning to fight in order to fight!"

"Rinoa… I am a SeeD. Whenever I learn how to fight, it's for my own survival. You're not going to be sent on a mission. Nothing will take your life in every turn. We're different. Besides, you already know how to fight. You have your own weapon." And Angelo.

"But it's not the same as being able to fight without my weapon!"

Of course not, that was why martial artists like Zell were cherished in SeeD mission. But he would never teach a civilian how to fight and kill so that they would kill.

"Well-trained SeeDs actually avoid any kind of physical confrontation if they have a choice. Take Selphie, for example. She knows how to fight with her bare hands. But unless it's to gain the element of surprise and she knew she could pull it off with no harm to her, she would never attempt physical assault. If she chose to fight them without her weapons, she could and would be able to kill her enemies. But she didn't do that."

Rinoa scowled. "Selphie's smaller than me. What makes us so different then? I mean, if she can fight her enemies without any weapon, I'm sure I can, too, given the right training."

"It's not the case of you can or can't. Selphie was trained all her life to look and assess the situation before she jumped in. Selphie's strength lies in her speed, her bravery and her light weight, and she had made sure to use that strength in facing her enemies, often taking the first offence to catch the enemy off-guard. Rinoa, Selphie is a SeeD. Her mother is the Garden headmaster. She was raised a SeeD. Your situation can't be more different from each other."

"So you don't want to teach me because I'm not a SeeD? Because I'm different from you guys?" Rinoa shook her head. "You think I won't be able to learn how to fight like a SeeD because I wasn't raised a SeeD like Selphie?"

"It's not that—" Zell wasn't sure what he was supposed to say now that Rinoa looked like she was about to cry. "Um… Fuu is really good at martial art as well. She's the second best in class. I think she'll be pleased to teach you."

"I _asked_ her. She told me she _can't_."

Zell wasn't even surprised Fujin had refused right away.

Rinoa sighed. "You and Selphie… you keep telling me I am your friend, but you don't want to teach me how to defend myself? Not even the most basic moves?"

"I.. I—um, I can't really teach you without hurting you in the process."

"So what?"

"Rinoa… I am… I mean, I was hired to protect you, not to harm you in any way… remember?"

She glared. "The Timber contract? So in the end, you still think of me as your client and not your friend. Everyone around here treats me like I am the employer. That's all I am to you, isn't it? You never think of me as your friend after all."

"But… Rinoa…" Zell groaned when the Timber princess bolted away. He was sure this wasn't the end of discussion for her. Not even close.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Quistis narrowed her eyes. "I don't like the way you smile," she told Seifer. "Whatever you're planning on, don't."

Sitting across her, separated by the desk, the blond gunblader snorted. "I was training with the kitten these past few days. He's indeed a wounded soul through and through."

Quistis waited for the punch line.

"Makes you want to scratch even more, seeing what lies behind all that. Maybe what I'm going to do will end up benefiting you both."

"I'm going to choose _thanks, but no thanks_. Keep your plan to yourself and don't even think about it."

"I haven't even told you what I'm planning to do."

"I'm sure I won't like it, so no."

Both turned to the door when it opened and Squall walked in. He nodded to them and took his seat next to Seifer.

"Finally," Seifer grumbled. "So let's get started."

"We're going to land next to Balamb tomorrow," said Quistis. "I'm sure you can already see the town now if you go up the second floor. As I told you earlier, Leonhart, I will be sending Zell into his house to scout for information. I'd like the two of you to accompany him."

"Oh, hell, another babysitting duty," said Seifer.

"The three of you are familiar faces in Balamb," Quistis continued as if Seifer said nothing. "Once you got in, get yourself as much information as possible. The Garden will be behind the forest. Don't attempt any fights. We don't want to draw any attention to Balamb Garden. Keep it low as much as you can."

"So when will we get back?" asked Squall.

"I'll give you two days. That should be enough. You need to get back on the second day at night so nobody will know you three are going back to Garden."

When Seifer groaned and shook his head over this average piece of information, Quistis realized he had executed his own plan. The one she was now too late in obstructing.

"I'll be glad when this war is over," he said.

"So does everyone," Quistis snapped. "Seifer…"

"Don't you, Quistis?" Seifer smiled at her. Smiled? What… "When it's all over, I can finally get to the plan."

Plan?

"Plan?" said Squall.

"Well, yeah." Seifer sighed. "I was just talking to my girl…"

Squall tensed in his chair. Quistis studied Seifer, wasn't even sure what he was doing.

"We're both agreed that we're going to leave once the whole war against the sorceress is over." Seifer put a rather struck expression on his face, smiling wide. "In a few years, maybe when we're a bit older, we'll get married." He turned to Squall, as if not seeing the quiet one's slacked jaw and wide eyes. "But soon after this whole ridiculous war is over, we're out of here. Get a house of our own, so we can be together just the two of us…"

Quistis still needed her head, so she refrained from bashing her forehead against the desk.

"I need to go," said Squall. He stood up abruptly, headed to the door, yanked it open and left.

Life wasn't fair. At the time Quistis realized she wanted to punch that face, she was physically incapable of doing so. As of now, the Commander could only watch at that smirk and wished she could plough through the white set of teeth and straight nose.

Seifer stood up and ambled to the door, as if he hadn't just turned the meeting upside down with his monologues.

"Seifer. I hate you," she said. "I hate you."

"What?" Seifer said through a calculated jeer. "So he thought I was talking about you? Weird, isn't it? I was never naming the girl, after all."

Quistis closed her eyes. "You know he's going to think it's me."

"Yeah, well, I never said it's you. If he did, I am not going to bother correcting him. I'm not telling any lies."

How about intended misdirections? "This is going to be a headache in the long run."

"Huh, it's not like any of it is my concern. I'm done here. See you later."

Quistis heard the door opened and banged close on the arrogant one's departure. She bit back an irritated groan. One of her Lieu was impulsive and peculiar, the other haughty and infuriating. They were at each other's throats whether she was here or not, and Quistis knew better than to hop in the middle of their absurd egotistical duel. So what if Leonhart thought Seifer was talking about her future? It wasn't his problem, after all. When the war was over, Squall could see himself how Seifer flung to the Desert of Nowhere with his lady of choice. It shouldn't matter to her what her Lieu thought about her, as long as he followed her command.

It should not matter.

-x-x-x-x-x-

To Be Continued…


	31. Whose Bright Idea was This Again?

Warning: with no buffer around, Seifer's language got progressively worse.

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

**Chapter 31**

**Whose Bright Idea was This Again?**

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

It was a small house, painted white, in the middle of nowhere. He looked around and was disappointed to see nothing around but rocks and crabs.

"This is it?" he said to the man behind him. The slightly pudgy man shrugged, his eyeglasses slid down again and he pushed it up while focusing on the taller man.

(What?)

The taller man sighed and studied the house. "Might as well get it over with, then. You sure she has no Knight, right? No evil magic? Nothing's going to kill us when we knock on her door?"

"Nothing," the man behind him said. "She's the gentlest sorceress I have ever met. I can assure you, there is nobody else better suited for this purpose than her, Your Highness."

(Your Highness? Am I in another dream?)

Seifer looked down and studied his hands. No, the man's hands. But it was…

(These are my hands.)

Seifer reached up and pulled on his own hair, examining the length and colour. It was really familiar. The length, the colour, even the texture…

(This is my hair.)

Seifer looked down and compared the height of his own legs to this man, judging from the ground.

(This is my legs. My height. What the fuck is going on? This is me!)

"Your Highness?"

"Ah," he said. "Nothing, Cid. Let's get going."

(Cid? Cid… What!)

The wrinkle-less Cid fixed his glasses and tilted his head, but said nothing else. Together, they walked to the lone white house in the middle of the rocky beach.

(I knew this place… it's…)

At the third, rather impatient knock, the door opened. A pair of dark eyes looking up at him, filled with questions.

"I believe my advisor had told you that I'm going to come?" he said. "Nice to meet you, my kind Sorceress."

(What is this…)

The door opened and the woman showed herself to both men. She had black hair, black eyes and pale skin. There was something niggling in the back of his mind. No, no… the man's mind.

_A young sorceress… too bad she's a sorceress, she's really beautiful._

(I don't understand.)

"I am not your sorceress, Your Highness," said the woman. "I only said to your advisor that if the King himself had requested my help, then it was only a courtesy for him to come. After all, it is your request and I am not your subject, so I have no obligations to follow what you have _ordered_."

He glared to Cid from the side of his eyes. "Well… perhaps my advisor was mentioning my request in a… rather self-satisfactory way. But I can assure you, it is a _request_ and not an order."

Cid cringed and looked away.

"I don't want us to start in a wrong foot, kind sorceress," he said. "May I come in?"

The sorceress shook her head. "No need to. I already saw you coming from miles away, so I packed already."

_Well, it wasn't hard to see anyone coming if you live in the middle of nothingness like this…_

"So you agree to help me, my kind sorceress?" he said, his happiness apparent. The sorceress shrugged and took something from the back of the door. She shoved the bags in his hands, and he took it despite his advisor started mumbling about a king carrying the sorceress' bags.

"Shush, Cid," he said. "My kind sorceress needs help moving her belongings, so of course I'll help. My ship is behind the rocks…" He looked around. Everything looked the same. "Somewhere around here."

The sorceress sighed. "It's Edea. My name's Edea."

"My kind sorceress Edea," he said. "Could you wait for a moment? Cid, go get the captain."

Cid gaped. He turned, trying to locate the ship and groaned.

"Any problems, advisor Kramer?"

"Uh, nothing. Please wait just for a moment, Your Highness."

Both the King and the sorceress watched as the advisor galloped to something in the distance. He wasn't even sure that was the right way, but at least his advisor gave some effort. Cid always gave an effort, although most of it ended up as failures. Still, he wouldn't trust anyone else but his best friend to be with him in places like this. Cid would follow him even to death.

"So tell me about this insane sorceress," said Edea. "I heard she's already controlling Esthar. I don't understand how that happened. The sorceress is never the social type."

_Not everyone wants to live like you._ (Heh, that's what I thought too… wait…) "Lady Adel was born of a noble in Esthar. I heard she actually hid her powers until she was consumed by her greed and wish for eternal life. At that point, she already held a high position in the government, and the late President was her only obstacle."

Edea sighed.

"You want me to continue?"

"No, I can already guess what happened. So now she's targeting your kingdom?"

"I don't have a big territory, but it is in the middle of everything. I suppose she finds it a good place to begin if she wants to achieve her dream of conquering the whole Gaia."

Edea looked down. "What you have done to stop her progress?"

He shook his head. "I am ashamed to say this, but compared to Esthar, my kingdom is nothing. We can't build better technology, my people are not smarter than Estharian, my soldiers aren't better than the infamous Estharian's, and my continent is right in the middle of every other continents. Unless I have a good plan, we're just a helpless victim."

"So you need me."

"I do. You can't imagine how much I need you and your knowledge of this… this magic. I don't understand how to handle something I have never seen before."

"Okay, so your kingdom… how big exactly are we talking…?"

He stared at the sorceress. "You mean how big in what exactly do I have right now?"

Edea nodded. The king collected her bags in one hand and with another pointed to the island across from her Centra home.

"Well, that."

She frowned. "Okay, so you have an island, but how big? We need an estimate."

"No, no, I mean, that," the king said, finger still pointing at the island. "That's mine. And everything in it." He watched the sorceress halt and gape. "Are you all right?"

"Galbadia…" Edea paled. "You… have Galbadia?"

(Man, whoever you are, you actually _owned_ the world years ago!)

"Right now I live in Dollet and I have set up an independent government in Deling, but sometimes I do come to visit and check on the people," he said. "Wherever Adel hit, it's going to hit my area. That's why I need someone who understand what the sorceress is thinking, so we can set up a plan to counterattack her strategy."

Edea looked like she was about to faint. She steadied herself and took a deep breath.

"I… I don't… okay." The sorceress frowned. "I was about to ask if there's a place where we could plan the strategy in secret if you have a small territory, but now I see it's a foolish question."

"That's not a foolish question," said the king. "I see, you're right, you can't show up in the middle of a war like this and I can't introduce you as another sorceress. People are already in a panic, they won't deal with this kind of news that well."

(Which is to say they're gonna hang and burn her at stake just for being another sorceress.)

"I have a tomb I haven't finished," he said. "My loyal guards are guarding the place until it's done, and it's really close to Deling. You can stay there, my tomb has everything you're going to need. I'll stay in Deling for… what?" He noticed Edea's stare.

"You have a _tomb_?"

"Well… yeah. Of course I have a tomb. For me when I'm dead."

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"I noticed you often corrected yourself before you say anything, sorceress Edea. Please feel free to say your thoughts to me."

Edea looked down and whispered, "I don't even know your name. I don't think a lot of people do."

He chuckled. "Well, I'm not really famous in whatever way. I don't build major historical monument, I don't make major changes in my continent, I don't even show up in front of the public all that much. I went to war a lot so people know Cid more than they know me."

"But you're the King," Edea said. "I don't feel comfortable staying in a tomb for someone whose name I never know."

He laughed. "Oh, I see. My name is—"

"SEIFER! For the hundredth time! Wake up! It's mission day!"

Seifer shot up from the bed, eyes wide and mouth agape. He looked around and hurled his pillow at the door. "HYNE FUCKING DAMMIT!"

"It's your own fault for oversleeping!" called Zell, already walking away from behind his door.

Seifer's heart was racing too fast. He clutched his head and shut his eyes tight, trying to understand what he had just experienced. The house… the rocks… the faces…

_Who are you? _

_What is this? Why am I the one dreaming this…?_

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

"This is ridiculous!" Zell walked all over the railing. He was on top of it, pacing back and forth, waiting for the third member of their team.

Squall leaned on the gate railing across from the one Zell was walking on, arms crossed, eyes on the entrance.

"We don't need him! He's an ass and he's late!"

Squall wished he could agree to that. However, this morning before he left he visited Quistis in her office and she smiled at him. Of course it was a kind of professional gesture, not even a full-beam smile, but still…

"I wish you two can set aside your differences for now and work together," she said. "There's a reason why I chose the two of you to be my lieutenants. I believe you can actually work with your complete opposite and obtain the best result because both of you are extremely talented and capable in your own way. You're the better person of the two, so I hope you can tolerate him for now. Okay?"

Then she tilted her head, her hair looked so soft, her blue eyes so big, so blue… and the sun from the early morning shined from the massive open window, shining on her fair skin and hair and making his Commander look so not human… with that halo…

So right now Squall wished he could say that he didn't want Seifer in the team too, but…

"What are you doing all this time?" Zell called as Seifer appeared at the entrance and walked to them with a frown. Squall already stood here for almost half an hour. The blond man strode to them and waved the paper in his hand.

"Here," Seifer said, shoving it to Zell's chest.

Zell took the paper and hold it on arms' length, frowning at it. "What's this?"

"The official mission order, of course. What, you think I'm gonna give you a love letter? Sorry, too late for that. I'm already taken." Seifer peered to Squall's stony expression. The quiet one looked down and stared at his old boots. "What? You want a love letter, kitty? You love me too?"

Squall snapped his head up and glared at Seifer, who sneered.

"I'm actually pretty loyal, pussycat," said the infuriating man. "Sorry 'bout that."

Squall clenched his teeth and refused to react. He was the better person. He had to tolerate.

"Sooo now I'm the team leader for this mission?" Zell pumped his fist in the air. "This is cool!"

"Whatever." Squall watched as Seifer shook his head and paced ahead, not even waiting for Zell's cheer to be over and done with. Zell had to hop down the Garden railing he was posing on right now in order to actually leave the Garden, but he didn't seem to be in a hurry.

"Hey you! Seifer!" Zell called the man. "You stop! It's an order from your leader!"

"Get off your fucking high horse and just get it over with," called Seifer, already far in front and almost entering the forest.

"Tch!" Zell jumped from the railing and sprinted to keep up. "Yo, Squall! Let's go!"

Squall sighed and walked a few steps behind the team leader. They crossed the forest with Zell hopping and bouncing off the Giant Bugs and Caterchipillar. Seifer was walking ahead, not giving even a single look to what was happening behind him. Squall didn't have to use his gunblade at all with the martial artist kicking and punching the beasts in their path.

Zell called Seifer who was already pacing far from them as soon as they left the forest, "Hey! Hey Seifer, come on! Stop acting like you can't wait! Wait for us!"

"What makes you think I really wanna do this?" Seifer crossed his arms, striding all in his lonesome ahead of the two. "There's nothing interesting about this. Not even a girl in our party. I don't do boys."

Zell mumbled something obviously insulting about that, but Squall didn't think it was his business to reiterate what the boy had just said out loud.

"Quistis can't go on this mission," he said. "You just have to do whatever asked of your position right now."

Seifer looked back at him with a frown. "Huh? Oh, I wasn't talking about her. Why do I want her to go with us? Selphie's less suffocating."

_Suffocating?_ Squall glowered at the man. "You called her _suffocating_?"

"And I was running my damn mouth again," said Seifer, his walking speed increased. "Never mind. I was never good with babysitting jobs."

"If you find her _suffocating_, you shouldn't have planned anything with her to start with."

"It's…" Seifer waved his hand. "Never mind, really."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Zell.

"None of your damn business," said Seifer. He tilted his head and looked back at his rival. "Come to think about it, whatever happens between the two of us is also none of your business. It's my damn right to call her whatever I damn please."

Squall set his jaw, staring at Seifer with one of his unreadable gaze. "She's our Commander. Until something else happens, she's _your commander_ and nothing else."

"So? So what? Even if _you_ are the commander, I'm still going to call you a dumb moron and creepy bastard. Anything you wanna say about that?"

"And it's not even an hour since we left Garden…" Zell massaged the back of his neck. He noticed an unfamiliar red building near the town and hesitated. "Uh… guys?"

Squall kept his glare on him as Seifer sighed. "You know what? You're right; I'm supposed to stay quiet for now."

_What?_

"Seriously, I'm the better person out of the two of us," Seifer said. He shook his head. "I can't believe I can't tolerate this shit for just two days. I can do better than this. We need to work together after all, I can do this. I can tolerate your angst. I'm the better person."

_Better per—_

Squall knew the heat up his nape was his blood boiling. For once, Seifer wasn't the one he wanted to kill.

"So, I'm going to say sorry for now. Truce." Seifer raised his hand to Squall. The gunblader shoved him. The blond fell on his back.

"Shut up," Squall said, seething. He stomped following Zell who had run into Balamb, leaving Seifer sitting on the ground with slacked jaw.

"What the hell!" Seifer yelled. "You're off your meds, you crazy shit? Now it doesn't matter who's the better person anymore! You push me once more and I'm gonna hack off your fucking arms!"

Squall found Zell shouted at a Galbadian soldier standing still with his weapon raised like a living obstacle in front of the town entrance.

"At least residents should be allowed in!" Zell said.

"It's OFF-LIMITS! You cannot enter or leave. Do you understand?"

"Hah! Who do you think you're talkin' to?" Zell raised his fist. The soldier raised his chin.

Squall nudged Zell aside before he blew up the entire mission. "You said the town was off-limits... Does that mean we can't deliver a message, either? That's too bad. We have some info on Ellone."

The Galbadian Soldier's expression changed. He lowered his weapon. "W-What? Elle... Wait a minute! Tell me everything you know about her! Do you actually know who she is?"

"Kind of... But we need to get inside to confirm something."

The Galbadian Soldier hesitated for some time before nodding and stepping aside. "If you find out any information at all, go talk to the captain. He's staying at the hotel! You will be rewarded."

Squall looked back to see Seifer followed them into Balamb with an ugly scowl on his face. The tall man only grunted when Zell burst into his house.

"Ma, where are you?" he yelled.

Ma Dincht appeared from the kitchen. "Zell! How did you get into town?" She pulled his son into a hug. "What a relief. I was worried. The soldiers have threatened that the sorceress will burn the town to the ground, should there be any disturbance."

Squall didn't reject Ma when he was bear-hugged following Zell. "Sorceress Edea is here?"

"I didn't see any woman. There's a very prominent man with the Galbadian Army coming just yesterday. Red hair, dark eyes, tall, wearing a full armour."

"Rochester," Seifer said. "This is a bad idea. He's worse than the idiots combined."

Ma Dincht looked at the man standing behind the door. "And you are?"

Zell was a bit too late. Seifer already answered for himself, "Seifer Almasy, SeeD. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Dincht." He smiled, both of his hands raised to clasp Ma's, skin around his green eyes crinkled, and Zell knew he had lost his mother. "I now understand where Zell got his amazing smile."

"Zell!" Ma Dincht giggled when her hand was kissed. She beamed at Seifer. "You never told me you have a friend this charming!"

"'Cause I'm not," Zell said, glaring at Seifer. The latter kept smiling at his mother as if he'd never seen a more beautiful woman.

"You definitely have to stay for lunch!" said Ma. "What do you like to eat, Seifer?"

Seifer peered at Zell's furious face. "I like anything. I like hot dogs the most."

"No you don't!" Zell yelled. "Stop pretending, you ass—"

"Zell! Why are you being so rude? Apologize, now."

"But…"

Seifer's smile got brighter.

"Zell!"

"If that's okay, I'm going to your room first," said Squall, already halfway up the stairs.

"No, Squall! You can't go in without me—"

"Zell! Where are you going?"

"But, Maa…"

"It's okay, Mrs. Dincht. I understand Zell is under a lot of stress right now. He's the team leader after all. I need to understand what he's been feeling."

Zell wanted to hit Seifer, but Ma was between the two of them glaring at her only son. How-Why… why did things become like this…

"He's the team leader? He's an irresponsible child! He can't even apologize to you. Zell?"

"I…" Zell gritted his teeth and glared at Seifer, who tilted his head and wore his most innocent face on that pompous head. "I gotta go check on Squall."

Zell turned and fled upstairs.

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

Some hours later, the three walked out of the Dincht house with full stomachs. Two had scowls on their faces and murder of a certain someone on their minds, while the certain someone was quite content with how things were going. As they turned to the direction of the inn, Squall's head kept facing one direction.

"Hey, Squall! What're you doing?" Zell whispered when Squall stopped walking.

Squall's gaze turned from the junk shop display to his friend. "Nothing."

"Well, don't just stand there. This isn't the time to upgrade your weapon."

Squall's eyes returned to the shop. "I have something to do. You guys go ahead. I'll catch up."

"What?" Zell stared at his friend's back. Squall disappeared into the shop. "Now what?"

Seifer took a deep breath. "There're soldiers in front of the inn, so we should head there and ask for the captain."

"I'm not asking you. Shut up."

"Then don't ask, moron."

"What, you—"

Seifer already headed to the inn. Zell watched him talking to the soldiers. He turned to the junk shop, shook his head and jogged to the inn.

"Information about Ellone?" The Galbadian soldier standing in front of the hotel looked at his friend.

"Should we?" his friend asked. "If this is Captain Biggs, he'd cut our paycheck for not checking their cred, you know… but this captain probably won't."

"He'd hit and punish us! He's not gonna use money to hang us!" the soldier said. He turned to the trio of men waiting in front of him. "He's in the dock. You can find the captain there… maybe."

Zell groaned when they strode to the dock. "I don't like this. This town is now under Galbadian's command. Balamb's a free town! Always should be."

Seifer said nothing, his eyes on the number of vessels anchored at the dock next to Galbadia Garden. Several soldiers were standing around one big red vessel on the left of the Garden. In the centre of the group, a man was standing tall, his body in full silver armour. He was talking to his soldiers when their eyes met, and his speech stopped.

"What's this?" Rochester mumbled. "Why are you here, Silvan?"

Zell turned to study Seifer. "Silvan?"

Seifer scowled. "I'm on vacation."

Rochester raised one eyebrow, eyes studying Seifer's outfit up and down. "It's true then, you're really not a fisherman in the first place."

"Hey!" Zell waved at Rochester and his soldiers. "Listen! You shouldn't do this!"

Rochester looked at Zell with a blank expression.

"Zell, shut up," Seifer whispered.

"No, listen! Balamb has always been a free town! Who does the sorceress think she is, trying to occupy this place?"

Rochester frowned. "The sorceress is a sorceress."

"What? Uh, I mean…"

Seifer rolled his eyes when Zell stuttered. "Zell. Just shut up for now."

"You shut up! I mean, she has no right to do this!"

"Of course she had no right. It's called takeover for a reason," replied Rochester. "Now this town is hers."

Seifer palmed his face while Zell went redder. "Just… just shut up."

"Stop telling me to shut up!" Zell shouted. "Let's get them!"

"What!" Seifer dropped his hand and stared at Zell. "No!"

"What? How could you say that? Look at what the sorceress did to the people under her command!" Zell shook his head. "Soon Balamb will be one of the destroyed towns too!"

"That's too far ahead," said Rochester. "It's probably not going to happen."

"You stop talking!" Zell pointed at the captain. "Who do you think you are anyway?"

"My name is Rochester, I'm the captain in the Galbadian Army, and currently the acting leader of this town. Nice to meet you, Sir."

"What…"

Rochester gestured to Zell with an open palm. "And may I know your name, Sir?"

"It's… it's Zell."

"Mister Zell…?"

"Stop telling him your real name, you moron!" said Seifer.

"Dincht," Zell said. "It's Zell Dincht."

"I see…"

"You idiot! Which part of 'stop talking' do you not understand!" yelled Seifer.

"You shut up! I'm free to tell anyone my name!"

"So your mother is Mrs. Dincht, who lives next to the mechanic shop, correct?" Rochester nodded. "She's a good woman. She cooked our dinner just last night."

Zell gaped. Seifer groaned, staring at the sky, wondering if he could somehow salvage this mission.

"Y-y-you know my mother?"

"Of course I do, Mr. Dincht. Such a lovely and kind woman. I remember she told me about her only son in the Balamb branch of Garden. I believe you are good in martial arts, SeeD Dincht?"

Zell fidgeted. Seifer counted the number of the soldiers visible on the dock and decided that if they started on Zell, he would do the smart thing and run. Even he couldn't fight fifteen people at once. If he was allowed to be a little more imaginative, right now he could see a sign 'MISSION FAILED' blinking on Zell's forehead. He would have clapped for the captain if only he wasn't on the other side of the game.

"Ellone," Seifer said, remember what they had planned. "We have news on Ellone."

Rochester studied him, and said, "I'm listening."

"We think she hides somewhere in Galbadia, right under your nose. Some of our SeeDs reported seeing the woman of her description in Winhill."

The captain raised his chin, and a slow smirk appeared. "You do realize I will not pack up and leave this town just because of _one witness from Balamb Garden_ mentioning about the possibility of a could be or could-not-be Ellone hiding in my own continent, don't you?"

Seifer had hoped the captain would be Biggs. He missed big time. _Well, crap._ "Well we said what we need to say, so…" Seifer said and turned on his heels.

"Where are you going?" Rochester said. "Did I say you can leave this town once you've reported about Ellone's whereabouts?"

"What—Seifer, wait!" Zell called. Seifer could hear his teammate footsteps following his own dash.

"Stop calling me, you idiot!"

"Seifer… Almasy? Catch him! He's the missing terrorist!"

Seifer skidded on a fast turn when they reached the side of the junk shop, and sprinted towards the entrance. What was his Commander thinking, assigning Zell Dincht as the team leader? And why did he listen to her when she said he had to tolerate people sometimes because they just weren't as brilliant as he was? Smart mouth, that Quistis. He barreled onto a soldier just walking by and shoved another who was standing in front of the entrance. They crashed to the asphalt, and Seifer barely noticed when a rounded object flew and whacked him on the nose. He let out a pained whine and stumbled. An arm shot beside him and yanked him up as the bottle of can exploded and smoke filled the air.

"Sorry," said Squall next to him, no remorse at all in the tone. "Missed my target."

Seifer didn't even bother asking what the actual target was. His eyes watered and his nose… he thought it was probably bleeding, but he couldn't touch it while he had to scamper away from the smoke grenade and stagger following the yank of Leonhart at the same time.

"Stop or my people will shoot you, Almasy!"

"Squall! Wait for me!"

"Squall… Squall Leonhart! You attacked Sorceress Edea! Stop them, dead or alive!"

"You're a Hynedamn moron, wuss!" Seifer yelled to Zell behind them. All he got was a sad whine. "Get us out!"

"I am trying," Squall said through gritted teeth, his speed shot down as he had to jerk Almasy away from the tear gas. He was indeed aiming at the entrance soldier, but the arrogant gunblader had to shove that soldier and embrace the can with his own face. Squall didn't plan to do that, but he felt strangely better. He looked around. Balamb was behind them. The soldiers trailed after them. Zell right behind him; he wore his sad melodrama face that he only wore when he realized he had set them up in a big trouble. Squall stopped in the middle of the Renault Plains and took a deep breath, released Seifer's arm and turned around.

"We give up!" Squall said, raising his hands. Seifer plopped down and shook his head. Zell skidded to a halt.

"What? Why?" the martial artist demanded.

"Why do you think we have to stop?" said Seifer. The minute the soldiers realized what was behind those forests, they would call Galbadia Garden and there was nowhere to run, not with the speed their little ice cream building was capable of.

_Great, so this is how we end. I doubt we're going to go into the history book at all. SeeDs murdered in the forest were never a big deal…_

_Keep talking, Seify!_

_Wha—_ Seifer whipped his head so fast toward the forest behind him, his neck cricked from the whiplash. _Where are you? What…_

_Keep talking! Keep talking! I can't find your exact position!_

_My exact… wh… I'm—uh… _Seifer looked around. _I'm… in Renault Plains. The forest is behind me, about ten steps. What the hell are you doing in my head?_

_I'm not in your head. I'm gonna crash them down!_

_Crash… what?_

_Get down!_

"Down!" Seifer yelled, dropping to the grass. Zell immediately flattened himself. Squall half-turned to him when a jeep shot out from the forest behind the blond and rammed him. The gunblader flung towards the gaping soldiers, Rochester stepped aside with a yell, and toppled the entire number of soldiers with his body.

"You hit Squall!" screeched Rinoa as the jeep whirled for five and half turns then stopped in front of Zell. The crazy brown haired girl was clenching the steer on the driver's side. Irvine hopped down and ran towards Squall. The commander stood up on the back of the jeep, eyeing the damage in a strangely neat uniform compared to the others.

"Give him a Curaga," said Quistis, taking her time to walk down from the jeep. Selphie hopped down and bowed in front of the jeep. She grimaced at the deep body-shaped dent now decorating the Garden vehicle.

"You hit Squall, Selphie!" said Rinoa again. She was already next to Irvine, hands touching Squall's head. The gunblader groaned and moved away.

"Stop it," he said.

"Selphie? Not Silvanna?" said Rochester. Selphie waved at him while walking towards Seifer.

"I'll explain later, Rocky!" she said.

Rochester grimaced. "It's Rochester. _Please_ don't nick my family name."

"I assume you're the captain of Galbadian army?" said Quistis.

Rochester stared at the commander, smiled and bowed a bit. "A pleasure to meet you. And you are…?"

"I'm not sure I can say the same, but thank you. Quistis Trepe, Balamb Garden Commander."

The captain beamed at Quistis's slight smile. Squall squinted at them.

"Something's off with this guy," said Zell. "Next he's gonna say he wanna invite you for tea and crackers."

"What's the entire members of the clown school doing here?" said Seifer. Selphie plopped down next to him and placed her hand on his nose.

"Cura!" she said.

Seifer gave her a sharp glare as his nose stopped bleeding. "What was that all about?"

"I heard you when we were ready for the picnic," said Selphie. "So I turned the wheel and came as fast as I can!"

"You guys _go on_ _a picnic_ when we're on the mission?"

"That's not the important part! Seify, how can you talk to me like that?"

"Talk to you?" Seifer frowned when Selphie pulled her hand. "You were the one who said things in my head!"

"No, you did it first! You said, 'this is how we end' and stuff, so I thought you were going to die! You were, weren't you? So I came at the right time!"

Seifer eyed the toppled piles of the soldiers and Squall who was now sitting with Irvine supporting his back. "I'm not sure I can use that word in this situation, but yeah."

"Great!" Selphie beamed. "So how can you do that? How can you say things right into my head?"

"How should I—" Seifer raised his hand. "Stop. I don't even want to think about it right now."

"Squall! Are you okay?" said Rinoa.

"Stop shouting," said Squall, struggling to stand up. He waved off Rinoa's attempt to help.

"It's really you, Rinoa…" said Rochester.

Rinoa turned and gasped when she saw the captain. "Rochester! What are you doing here?"

"Me? What are _you_ doing here?"

"I—I—no, what are _you_ doing here?"

"I don't know what you two are doing here, but I don't really care," said Seifer, slowly standing up. "We have seven people… okay, six, excluding that one who doesn't know what she's doing here," he said, ignoring Rinoa's glower, "And you got… well, sixteen soldiers down and one still standing. You. I think we got a reverse situation in here."

Rochester looked around him and shrugged. "I hate to say this, but I agree. I'm going to let you go for now."

"What?" Zell said. "Whoa whoa whoa. What did you just say? You _let_ us _go_?"

"That is correct," said Rochester. "I just said that. You have good ears, Mr. Dincht."

Zell gawked. "Bwuh."

Rinoa shook her head. "You still haven't changed."

Rochester gave her a once over from the side of his eye. "You too. Still playing the traitor game, I see."

"Wait, _what_?"

"Just like your father. Leaving your birth country and turn against anyone who ever cared about you. You are Caraway through and through."

"Shut up!" screamed Rinoa. "What do you care what I do? What my father did or did not do have nothing to do with you!"

Rochester looked pained. "It has everything to do with me and my family."

"It's my family's problem! If you have a problem with me trying to liberate Timber, go ahead and arrest me then!"

The captain raised his hands. "I can't do that."

"Why?" Rinoa said. She stomped towards her childhood friend. "Another wrong sense of chivalry from a Rochester?"

"What chivalry? I am not going to get the girl who is going to be the Lady Rochester into jail," said Rochester. "The Rochesters won't defame someone they've already spoken for."

There was only silence after his declamation.

"Spoken for?" said Quistis.

"Lady Rochester?" said Zell.

"Spoken for?" said Selphie.

"So two summers ago you made me the other man when you have been 'spoken for', the future Lady Rochester?" Seifer said, amusement all over his face. "Should I feel proud for this?"

Rinoa gaped, looking at everyone's faces and shook her head. "I can assure you, I am not spoken for!" Rinoa said. "Especially not with a mere bottle of Honeybee Dupont you brought my father that night!"

"The wine was a joke." Rochester peered around, and seemed satisfied that no soldier was awake. Not when he had a rather foolish conversation like this. Then again, he already knew Heartily was capable of ashaming someone to where it pained the most. Just like the traitorous father. "You know very well The Rochesters would settle for nothing less than a good dowry, especially because you weren't born from the gentleman."

Everyone was staring at him as if he had just grown a second head.

"…Gentleman?" said Seifer. "…What year is this again?"

"D—" Rinoa choked. "Dowry?"

"Oh, so you're one of those… wait, I think I know…" Zell pointed at him, tried to remember the saying. "Ancient cash! You're ancient cash!"

"Old money," Quistis corrected.

"There is never a _new money_," said Rochester. "These sayings were older than my great-great-great grandparents. It still isn't true now."

Selphie looked around. "…Are you sure we haven't just jumped into another dimension? Because I really don't follow. Rinoa, you are engaged…"

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are," said the captain. "Caraway had settled your dowry and I had settled the wedding gift."

"To the rotten bucks," said Seifer. He was grimacing and shifting, almost as if he was unsure whether to laugh or to flop on the ground first. Selphie held to his arm, so he guessed he could only laugh right now. But not when Rinoa shot a murderous glare at him.

"Old money," corrected Quistis again.

"This is ridiculous!" wailed Rinoa, raising her hands in the air in exasperation. "I'm not going to marry you!"

"The dowry has been turned to my name," said Rochester. "So yes, you will. I also have turned your wedding gift to Caraway."

Rinoa glared at him. "I will not marry you!"

"It's been settled three years ago. You are late in protesting, and you will marry me when you are legal. It is what it is."

"It's not what it is!" yelled Rinoa. "I can't believe dad is serious about this! I thought he was joking when he said you offered for me!"

"Offered for you?" said Zell. "Whoa whoa. Offered for you? The ancient cash actually offered for you? For real?"

"Old money," mumbled Quistis. "Oh, fine, it's not like anyone's listening…"

"Offered for you?" said Selphie. "So you knew he actually had 'spoken for' you?"

"Anyone want some popcorn?" asked Seifer. "I'm definitely staying until the end of the showing."

"I'm never going to marry you!" Rinoa said. "I'll return whatever present you gave my father! I don't care about the dowry, I'm not going to marry you!"

"All right, people, let's go," said Quistis when nobody made a move to leave the premises. "This is none of our business. Seifer."

"What?" Seifer groaned when Selphie pulled him. "Just when it's getting interesting."

Rochester kept his arm crossed even as the SeeD left them. "Very well then… if you really don't want the dowry back."

"I don't care!" said Rinoa. "What did you give my father? I'll get it and return it when I get back to my mansion!"

Rochester had a slight twitch on the corner of his lips. "Mansion? What mansion?"

"Caraway's mansion!" said Rinoa. She froze, and stared at her fiancé. "…No. No way."

"You mean the building you grew up in? It's my mansion now. Along with everything else in it."

"No! No… father can't possibly…"

"As I said, quite a sizable dowry for such a rebellious daughter of a traitor."

Rinoa held both sides of her head, closing her eyes. "No…"

"As for the wedding present, you've been wearing them for years." Rochester turned one palm up in front of her. "Give me back your weapon, your boots and your 'father's' credit card." He waited a bit until Rinoa swayed as if she was ready to faint. "I forgot one thing… and Angelo."

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

Selphie looked at the pale-looking girl as she ambled closer. She was looking down, mumbling something. "So… are you still engaged to the Captain?"

Rinoa looked up and watched the group in front of her. Her gaze stopped at Squall, who was discussing something with Quistis next to the lake. "It's…" She clasped her projectile weapon on her left arm. "It's a bit… complicated."

"So you're still engaged to the Rotten Bucks," said Seifer. "Well, he's a rather charming plan B."

Zell scrunched his face. "He reminds me of General Caraway."

"Why do you think the princess is so adamant about breaking up the engagement?" replied Seifer. "Although I gotta say, he's not a bad choice for a husband. At least he won't go sulking on you over a bad choice of word."

Irvine almost chuckled. "Hmmm… I've to agree with Seifer on that. Your father certainly planned your marriage well."

"What era is this?" Rinoa snapped. "Since when does a girl have to marry someone just because her father said so? He's not my choice! Never!"

"But you're still engaged with him," said Zell. "Right?"

Rinoa clamped her mouth shut.

"Come on, Princess, you can't have it both ways," said Seifer. "'Sides, he's almost as good looking as me. Well, not quite, but he's not as ugly as… well…"

"Squall?" supplied Irvine.

Zell rolled his eyes. "The time you stop being such an arrogant ass is when you're dead."

Squall glanced at them on the mention of his name, but he continued whispering to Quistis. His eyes returned to his Commander, his expression softening at Quistis's nod.

"The whole Rochester clan is famous for being straight-arrow. They're also incredibly close with your clan, right? You can do worse," said Irvine, glancing at Squall. "…A lot worse."

"Money, moral and looks," said Zell. "If I were a girl, I'd be extremely happy with that."

"Who said you weren't?" said Seifer.

"Oh, I can turn you into one right now, you—"

"Let's focus on the engagement," said Selphie.

"Stop commenting on the engagement thing! It's not my choice!" said Rinoa. She felt mentioning the fact that Rochester was the seven year-old neighbour kid bringing the newborn her in for the first time in her parents' mansion wouldn't add to her favour. Or the fact that he was always beside her as she grew up. No, she doubted it'll add any positive point to her refusal. "I'm going to break up with him when the time is right!"

"Which is right after the wedding," said Seifer. "Yup. Perfect timing."

Selphie squeezed Seifer's arm so he'd stop making faces at Rinoa's furious expression. "He's the enemy, Rinoa. I know you two were childhood friends, but…"

"I know! I know…" He was also the one pushing her from the back on her first two-wheeled bike, the one who taught her how to choose the right bus to and from school, and the one who drove her everyday to school and picked her up with his father's car when he was old enough. And Angelo… she thought her dog was her birthday present… Wait, the puppy was there when she turned twelve… So… he was… If she let herself thought about it, she'd just get even more confused. "It's just… it's really complicated."

"Not so if you kill him during the raid," said Seifer. "Then you'll be free again for your plan A. Oh wait, the plan A itself has some obvious problem…"

Irvine coughed, stopping Seifer before Rinoa strangle him. "So. What are we gonna do now?"

"We're leaving," said Quistis, walking towards the group. "We need to regroup and find out what the Galbadian Army is doing here, except for finding Ellone. Anyone has an idea where to go after our briefing?"

"I got an idea," said Seifer. "How does the title 'Rotten Bucks and the Lady Rochester' sounds to you? I bet the show will reek in some cash we're gonna need for the war effort."

"Rinoa!" said Selphie. "You can't continue to shoot your empty projectile at him, it'll ruin the spring!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

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After hours of sitting cross-legged on the Quad bench and smacking on the item in her hand, she finally heard something.

"Hello? Hello, who's this?"

"Helena!" Selphie said. "It's me! Finally!"

The crackle drowned Helena's reply. When Selphie tuned Irvine's PCS to get the clearest signal, she could hear: "—dead, I don't understand. Selphie, what's going on?"

"Dead? Who's dead? Helena, what are you talking about?"

Again, another crackle.

"Helena? Helena!"

"—I'm so sorry. Selphie, sorry. Sorry I can't do anything. It's too late for them."

She felt sick. "Who?"

"The headmaster… Oh, Selphie."

"Helena, tell me. What happened…?"

"The headmaster was substituting for a sick teacher in the mixed junior class when it came. The whole wing was—" The PCS fell from her hand. Selphie stared at the broken asphalt as another crackle sounded from the fallen phone. "—Two-third of our number… we're out of stock, everything. Selphie, you're the only voice from the outside we've heard in weeks. We've sent some SeeDs out to get help, but none has come back. We're out of options. Selphie… Selphie, do you hear me?"

Something pressed against her cheek. Selphie opened her eyes and saw Seifer studying her face. He was frowning.

"Selphie?" Helena's voice was now panicked. "Selphie, please! We need your help!"

Seifer took the PCS from the floor and pressed the button. "This is SeeD Seifer Almasy of Balamb Garden. Please state your name and emergency, and I'm going to get the needed help from Commander Trepe immediately."

Helena's voice went steadier. "This is SeeD Helena of Trabia Garden. The Garden was in dire need of food and medical necessities. We're requesting provisions from Balamb Garden as soon as possible. Is there any way I can ask Galbadia Garden to help?"

"I don't think we can include G2 right now." Seifer stood and pulled Selphie up from the bench. "I'm going to set up a course heading to Trabia with our pilot. Can you stay on this line until we manage to find the fastest way to get to your Garden?"

"Of course."

Seifer released the answer button and raised Selphie's chin. She stared at him, blank. "What's wrong?"

"My… mother—" Selphie shut her eyes. "I was supposed to know. I'm—I was her only daughter, how can I don't feel anything—when…" She heard his sharp breath, but she felt nothing when he pulled her to his chest. "—Supposed to be there. If I were Trabian SeeD—"

"Stop that, don't think like that." He hugged her as tight as he could. "Don't think about it like that."

"Hey, what are you guysssahhhh," she heard Zell mumble. "Why am I here? Forget it." Leaving footsteps.

"All right," Seifer said. "Enough weeping. Let's do something for your Trabia."

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Rinoa beamed when she saw who was standing on the infirmary door. "Squall! Come in! Are you hurt?"

He didn't smile at her. His frown got deeper. "What are you doing here?"

She huffed, reminding herself that this was just his usual way of talking. "I'm working here. Oh, by the way… do you have some time tonight?"

Squall walked in and looked around, finding the object of his purpose on the corner. "We'll see."

"Great! Eight P.M. is fine!"

Quistis looked up from her hands in Dr. Kadowaki's when Squall went closer. "Hi."

"Hi." Squall looked at Dr. Kadowaki studying the nerves in his Commander's hands. "I need to give you the status report of Balamb. Can we go to your office?"

"Sure, I'm about to finish the session anyway." Quistis waited until the doctor nodded.

"It's healing well," she said. "We're going to test your attack range sometime later, but you're free to do your daily task from now on."

"No helper?" asked Squall.

The doctor peered at him. "Why, are you volunteering?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

The doctor gaped. "No, it's not necessary. I was joking, she doesn't need any help from now on. I'm not sure she's going to agree to let you dress her anyway."

Quistis shook her head. "No, thanks."

_But you let Nida do that for you? _Squall stepped aside as Quistis made her way out of the infirmary.

"That's nice," said Rinoa.

_What is? _"What?" Squall said.

"You know, the way you volunteer to be a helper for her. I mean, of course, she's your commander so it's just something you said because you're loyal to her, but still." Rinoa smiled. "It's nice. If I'm the one who got hurt, would you be my helper?"

Squall flinched. "No. Why?"

"_Why_? But…" Rinoa pouted. "It's not fair! I know I'm not your commander, but it doesn't mean I can't be your friend too! I mean… um… wait, where are you going when I'm talking?"

Squall shook his head as he made his way out. "When you're finished, send the letter to my email. I got something better to do."

"Okay, you know what? You are such a big _meany_! You can't even be nice when I'm trying to talk to you! Why is everyone tolerating you like this, I don't know! I can't stand you!"

"Whatever."

"Eight P.M. tonight! Don't forget, Squall!"

He turned to her, confused. _Are you kidding me?_ "No."

"What? You said you'll come!"

"I said 'we'll see.' Now I don't think so."

"Oh!" Rinoa stomped her foot as she headed towards him. "You! You… I, I don't understand you!"

_Who asked you to?_ "So?"

"Why are you so mean only to me?"

Really? He thought he acted pretty much the same to any other girl in Garden. Which part of him was being mean? He was always the same. "Whatever."

She bit her lips and mumbled, "If I'm hurt, you won't be so mean to me. You'll be kind, just like how you talk to Quistis."

He finally turned and faced her. "_When_ you got hurt, it's only because you don't listen. You're not going to get hurt because you are completing the SeeD mission. You're not Quistis. Don't expect me to treat you the way I treat her. Ever."

She opened her mouth, but her tears came faster than words. Squall watched in horror as droplets fell down her eyes.

_Oh, shit._ He turned and left as fast as he could.

"Squall!" he heard her voice even as he was almost into the hall. "Eight P.M. tonight! I really mean it!"

_What the hell was going on with her? _

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She could open the door for him this time. Quistis smiled as Squall walked into her office.

"I can have your report now," she said. Squall drew a folded paper from his pocket and handed it to her. She stopped in the middle of the room while reading it. "So, we don't have any proof that Galbadian was looking for something else but Ellone."

"No," said Squall. He hesitated before drawing something else he had tucked in his belt, under his jacket. "About your whip…"

Quistis turned to see a new chain whip, gleaming in silver, coiled neatly in his hand.

"What is this…?"

"I couldn't clean your whip. It's…" Squall frowned. "Let's just say I couldn't clean it. So I got you a new one."

She opened her lips and stared at Squall. He waited, but she made no move. The gunblader stepped forward and waited in front of her.

"You bought me _a new whip_?" Quistis reached up and fingered the silver chain in his hand. "Really?"

Squall tilted his head.

Quistis closed her lips, opened it, and closed it again. She looked away. The gunblader was left staring at her lips, wondering if she was going to say anything at all when she shook her head.

"I don't… I can't. I mean, it's… A whip is expensive."

He knew, so he had saved up. Four levels up SeeD rank helped too. "Just take it. It's lighter than the leather one, and has a longer attack range with more flexible chain. It's also not going to rust away or break down from blood or monster liquid."

Quistis was still staring at it as if it was gold. Squall pushed it to her chest. She finally took it in her hands, staring at the coiled chain in awe.

"Squall… I don't know how to thank you."

Squall had a few ideas, one including the firing of a certain Lieutenant, the other an official letter of denouncement of SeeD Almasy. He could probably get it, seeing how in awe his Commander was right now. But…

"Seifer…" he mumbled, and was surprised to see the light dimmed in Quistis's eyes. Did she know what he was thinking? Time to change course. "Are you really… going to marry him?"

She blinked a few times, and moved away. She placed the whip on her desk. "It's not a professional discussion."

He thought they've past the whole professionalism 'thing' a long time ago. "So you are."

Quistis took a deep breath and faced him. "I don't think it's wise to talk about it."

"Why not?" he said, moving closer, and saw her biting her lips. "You know he thought about you as 'suffocating'?"

Oh? _Likewise_. "I don't really care what he thinks about me."

"You're going to marry someone who thinks of you as 'suffocating'? Why?"

"I'm not—you know, this is really none of your business." She bit her lips again. "I mean, really. It's…"

"Because he asked you?"

_Huh_? "What?"

"You're going to marry him because he asked you to? Because he's asking?"

She stared at him, thinking that somehow his resilience in the whole fake engagement thing with that arrogant lieu wasn't what she expected right now. In fact, why had he even brought this up?

"It's our business," she said. "It's not your problem if I choose to marry him or a Grendel."

"Marrying a Grendel will be better. You already know what to expect."

She had to stop herself from chuckling. Stop it. "Leonhart, I don't think—" She realized he was too close to where she was standing right now.

"Why Leonhart?" he said, eyes on her lips. "Why did you call me Leonhart every time you want to finish a conversation?"

"It's your name…?"

Okay, even to her ears that sounded lame.

"You called Almasy 'Seifer'."

"He is Seifer."

He frowned. She could see his eyes squinting at her from this distance. What was he thinking? Perhaps it was better for her not to know…

"So for you, _he is Seifer_, but I'm Leonhart?"

"Seifer is always Seifer." The annoying one. "You…" _what should I say?_ "I—I—you're my lieutenant." She was really confused right now, but better push on what's already a pond of lies anyway. "Why can't I call my fiancé by his first name?"

He clenched his jaw. "Why can't you call me by my first name?"

Well, she wanted to give some distance between them, of course. Why did he move closer when she stepped back? "I can't call someone who's not close to me by his first name."

Something flared in his eyes. "Not close?"

_What do I want to say? Hell, I don't know. I'm really stumped_. She just wanted some space. He always gave her space. "We're never going to be as close as I am wit—"

His lips were really soft. Dry, supple, his warm tongue licked her lips, a slight pain from the small pressure, building up, demanding her to open up for him. Hot hands on the side of her jaw, keeping her just where she was, where his fingers could caress her skin and—

She didn't realize she had closed her eyes when his hands cupped her head. She didn't realize he had pushed her. She hit the desk behind her. When she opened her eyes, Squall was staring at her one step away, his breathing ragged and his gaze hot.

He stared at her lips, up to her eyes, moved his body forward and opened his mouth to say...

"Quisty?" The door opened. She turned to the door when Selphie peeked in. "Hey," she said, "why are you here alone?"

Quistis wheeled back to see the window open. There was no one else in the room but her.

Of course he'd bolted. Of course.

It hurt. She shouldn't think about it, but it hurt. How unwanted it was, how unwelcome the heat lingering on her lips, how heavy and warm his calloused hand fell on her face, the hardened skin grazed her cheek, tracing her eyelid, cupping her jaw, drawing her mouth to him, how his shoulders slack under her palms, how he had pressed her back to the table, eyes burned at her, his mouth whispering something…

Perhaps everything was just the product of her imagination. Perhaps she had worked a little too much. She knew how fast he could run but perhaps she had opened the window herself, to get some air before dozing off. Why she had dreamed about all this, she didn't want to figure it out. Not now. She took a shuddering breath and turned to the waiting girl.

"I'm… figuring something out," Quistis said. "What's wrong?"

"I was thinking if you can chart us the course—Quisty," Selphie said, raising her thumb and wiping something from her lips. "Are you ok?"

Quistis looked down at the girl's thumb and saw a drop of blood. She blinked. Her tongue came out, searching for the gash.

Selphie raised her palm to her face. "Cure."

Quistis almost stopped her before she felt the warm light glowing in her face. In one foolish moment, she thought she didn't want the cut to heal.

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**To be continued…**

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Muwahahaha!


	32. I Should Say Sorry Back Then

**Chapter 32**

**I Should Say Sorry Back Then…**

* * *

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"You're here!" Rinoa opened the door wide. "Come in!"

He didn't really want to be here, but it was something better to do than being in his room brooding all night about what he had just done.

Squall stepped in, eyes wandering around the room. Rai and Fuu's room was pretty much like any other cadet's room. If it was a bit neater, he thought Fuu might have something to do with it. Rai's handwritings and fighting style were the same as the way he conducted everything else in his life: if it wasn't broken, work it as messy as he could. As long as Fuu had not kicked him yet, everything's fine.

He felt like banging his head into the wall. Why did he do it? He wondered if there was something in the air, or particularly, in _her_ office. Or maybe the way she bit her lips while wondering if she could say whatever on her mind in a way that could shoo him. Like he didn't know she find him irritating. She probably wanted to choose someone else as the lieutenant, but he was the next best SeeD that she was familiar with, after Seifer Almasy of course. Never in his life Squall Leonhart felt more than a bit miffed he was second best to Almasy.

But he wanted more. Just a bit more, which was apparently too much. The tension had been suffocating him, and he just wanted something more than the current situation they were in.

Was that a bit too much? Really?

He still wanted more.

"What are you thinking about, Squall?" Rinoa tilted her head. "It's like… are you pouting?"

"What do you want?" he said. "I'm here now."

Rinoa waved her hand to the sofa next to them. "Sit, please!"

He frowned, but followed her order. She sat next to him. It was quite close, so he scooted a bit further to the side. He hated lily, and she wore too much of that scent. He preferred something gentle and a bit spicier, like green apple. Mink oil was fine too, but if the user chose not to use mink oil anymore since she no longer had leather whip, he'd be fine with a little scent of tangy metal and—

Rinoa turned on the television and Squall saw the spiky blond with massive sword flying through the scene in the infamous Honeybee Inn.

What? He came here for _this_?

Squall stayed silent for the next six minutes, until the noisy one he recognized as Barrett yelled to Cloud in the aftermath of the slum church bombing. He couldn't take the torture anymore. Squall shot up from the sofa and headed to the door.

"Squall? Where are you going?"

Out. Anywhere but here, anywhere he didn't have to watch someone who looked too much like Seifer be the hero of the day. "I have something to do."

"Oh, I—I thought… anyway, wait!" Rinoa took something out from behind the sofa. "I got this for you!"

Squall turned and saw the Cloud doll clutched in her hand. If he got a hold of it, the first thing he'd do was to find Almasy and chuck the stupid doll to his face. Since they were now colleagues, he had to stop himself from taking that thing from Rinoa's hand. He'd love the fight the doll assault would create, but they wouldn't be in a good situation to do the commander's order. He knew his priority now.

Instead, he just said, "What's that?"

"This is Cloud! Of course… I thought you knew Cloud the Mako?" Rinoa fidgeted, now looking so unsure he wanted to ask if she knew why she had asked him to come and watch the most horrible show he'd ever had the chance to see as a kid. "I got it from a cadet. It's for you."

He had no doubt it would cost a pretty gil for Rinoa to get an original Cloud the Mako doll from a Balamb cadet. Garden cadets loved Cloud, and this doll looked original and shiny. If he touched it and smelt it, he would smell the plastic cover, meaning it was brand new and Rinoa had just tore it apart from the plastic case it had been lovingly encased for years.

He really didn't get why she would do something like this. If he was in love with Cloud, he would be happy, but he hated that character. He liked another character, that never had a chance to get his own doll no matter how long he'd been in the show. A poor miserable character that was really misunderstood by everyone.

"I don't like Cloud," Squall said.

"Oh? So… who do you like in the show? I can get the doll for you."

Was Rinoa that rich she could order a new doll just for him? "I doubt it."

"Oh, come on, just say who do you like…?"

Well, he did want the doll… "I like Sephiroth." He saw Rinoa froze. Of course there would be no Sephiroth doll. Nobody ever wanted the poor guy. Every time he watched the show, everyone booed and tossed something at the screen when the Jenova son appeared. Sephiroth, the poor, tortured soul living in the darkness, the complete opposite of the shining bright Cloud the Mako. Sephiroth only wanted to be loved, to know where he came from. He didn't care about saving the world, about being the hero. Sephiroth loved only one woman who never wanted him in return. Squall loved Sephiroth. But nobody else did.

He stopped watching the show when Yuffie Kisaragi made a ridiculous plan to 'offing' Sephiroth forever. He didn't want to know what happened next. Sephiroth was never the main character, he probably wouldn't survive. Squall wouldn't be there watching his demise.

"It's impossible," Rinoa said. "Nobody makes Sephiroth doll, not even a replica…"

He knew. "That's it, then." He turned and opened the door.

"Wait—"

No, thanks. Squall closed the door and strode through the hall. He'd rather be in the Training Centre with the Grats. He was aiming for a particular T-Rexaur for days, he could kill it now if he scoured the place. After all, all other beasts had run away when he entered these days.

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"It's really you!" Ward felt someone poke him. He turned around and was enveloped in a hug. It was something like a hug, anyhow, considering the man was much smaller than he was. He smiled and hugged Laguna back. "Ward, it's so nice to see you again!"

_Likewise_, he thought. He pushed Laguna away and motioned to the door a few feet from them. _I'm still working. We'll talk later if you don't want to buy a drink._

"Hey, that's so rude!" Laguna strode out from behind the bar counter and sat on the stool. Kiros sat on the other stool, waving at Ward and smiling. "Never thought you'd be a bartender here!"

_People talk._ Ward waved his hand around the Timber bar he'd been working for months. _They don't come to listen. The pay is good._

"Now I know why you never bothered to contact us!" Laguna rapped the counter. "Drinks, please!"

Ward motioned to his chest and made a rubbing motion with his index finger and thumb. _Cash only._

Laguna scowled. "Damn it, no tab?"

"I'll pay," said Kiros, rolling his eyes. "You still got no money."

"I haven't got any job here!" Laguna sighed and motioned for Ward to come closer. "I heard Timber Maniac is looking for a writer. Are they still looking?"

Ward shrugged. _How should I know? I'm not working there._

"You're the bartender! You're supposed to know people's dirty little secrets!"

Ward made a tapping motion of his lips. _Exactly. I'm not gonna talk. How's a job become dirty little secrets anyway?_

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm gonna write and they're gonna hire me!" said Laguna.

_Right…_

Several hours later, the bartender had to drag the half-dead half-drunk Laguna Loire out of the door.

_I didn't miss this part._ Ward heaved the man up his shoulder. _Where to?_ He motioned to Kiros, who was walking out looking as sober as he always was. But Laguna was down after one drink, everyone was better compared to this man.

"Can we crash at your place for now?" said Kiros. "We don't have a lot of Gil to sleep at the inn."

Ward thought about his girlfriend and what she would say. His _aggressive_ girlfriend, who was scarier than anyone he ever known. _Maybe it's not a good idea._

"Please? Just one night then, and we'll be off your back. I really don't have much money left." Kiros heaved Laguna's backpack. "Come on, Ward."

He had been enjoying his peace for months in Timber. Perhaps he always knew it would come down to this. His girlfriend would kick him out and he would go adventuring again with Laguna and Kiros, like they have always been.

This time it was different, though. He had been saving for a ring. His girlfriend had been behaving a bit differently compared to how she was when they ran away from the Desert Prison. She was a bit softer, gentler. Ward found her crying alone in their living room last night. He was scared of what she was thinking. She could be thinking of how boring their lives now, compared to the fugitive life they had weeks after the prison break. He wanted to marry her, and took her along when the mood for adventure hit.

"You've been living _behind_ the bar?" Kiros said, a hint of laughter in his voice. Ward shrugged and unlocked the door. "Man, you live and breathe down your work, don't you?"

Ward knew the house was empty when he opened the door. It shouldn't make any difference to him if she only went for a milk run, but he knew the feeling of being deserted.

She left.

"Your place is nice," Kiros said after sliding through the small space between Ward and the door. "It's… oh no. You got a woman in here, don't you?" He turned to see his stunned friend. "That's why you don't want us to crash here even for a night. Ward, I'm sorry."

Sorry didn't even describe the black void he was swimming in right now. He dropped Laguna on the rug in the middle of the living room and walked upstairs. He knew he was right when her favourite scarf was gone from their bed.

Why?

"Hey, Ward!" Kiros called. "Is this you and your girl—my Hyne! WARD! Isn't this the super spy they captured after that mass homicide? She killed them with bare hands, Ward! What the hell were you thinking?"

He opened the closet. Everything belonged to her had disappeared. He was staring at his own shirt, his own clothes. He looked around the room, trying to find anything she left for him. Anything, even a little note, a little something, even a single strand of hair…

It was like she was never there.

Why?

"Ward?" he heard Kiros stepped beside him. "Ward… what's wrong? Ward, are you… crying?"

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The snow was good at covering all the blood and gruesome tracks the missiles had caused. It looked clean, white and cold. It was sterile.

But he didn't say it out loud with her standing beside him.

She looked up past the high gate in front of them, much older than the almost-seventeen year old she was. Just for today, she didn't curl her hair, she didn't apply that bright pink lip gloss, she didn't do much for her appearance but getting dressed in the yellow dress and brown boots he had given her. The cold wasn't even getting to her. She moved as if she was sleepwalking. Her eyes were haunted.

But he didn't say that out loud.

When she climbed up the mesh and disappeared behind the broken gate, he said nothing. He just watched as others followed her.

This was her Garden. Her Trabia. She had been talking about it in the past, when he was fishing with her beside him, scaring all the hungry fishes away. She was in love with Trabia. She was in love with all her friends, with the beauty and the weather of the lovely northern continent. She didn't know she was in love with her old Garden. She was ready to go back there once they finished the mission, to be with her friends again, to be the Trabian SeeD she always dreamt of. Just one mission in Balamb Garden, she said, and she would transfer to Trabia.

She had asked if he wanted to come. He wasn't so sure. He said Balamb was always his home, just like Trabia to her. He said she was obliged to stay in Balamb Garden until they could find a solution to their bonding problem. Like it was a major pain to be with her every single day. Such Trabia could wait until they could separate without any side effects, if there ever was any.

He shouldn't say that out loud.

It was different, the feeling of being with her than being with any other girl he had ever known. She was different. There was no feeling of being tied, of being that he had to act differently, that he had to be this gentleman he knew he never was. She didn't care what he said as much as what he did. She smiled at him more than she smiled at anyone else in the Garden. She beamed. He thought it was a bit silly, the way she laughed and be excited over anything he did. He knew her feeling.

But he said nothing.

Just for once, just for her, today he would say nothing.

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She knew it was an emergency office. But still, sitting on that sole computer in the middle of the open room, with a massive hole on the wall to her left wasn't going to make Quistis comfortable. Helena didn't seem to care. She shook the commander's hand and introduced herself as the current acting headmaster of Trabia Garden.

"I'm actually the less experienced SeeD in Garden," Helena said. She shook her head, brown hair swayed as she sighed. "But the rest of the SeeD went out to find help. We got an alarming decreasing rate of food and medicine supplies."

"We're here to help with that," said Quistis. Next to her, Squall and Zell stood on one side, both watching the only undamaged computer in the room with curiosity. Rinoa and Irvine stood near the open wall, huddling together from the cold.

Zell took something that looked like a game station from the computer. "What's this?" he asked, reading the small font on the console. "Pocket Station…?"

"Just take it if you want," said Helena. "The owner's dead."

"Um… thanks."

"I'm sorry we're late," said Quistis. "Three days weren't fast enough, but we're here now with provisions for food and medical supplies for a hundred and fifty people."

That was the number they could collect in Garden as fast as they could. Once the word got out that Trabia Garden was damaged beyond help, every resident in Balamb Garden donated something. Strangely enough, it seemed like there was enough food donated for five people for every one Balamb cadet. Seifer had said he was planning to filter out the dorm after they leave Trabia. But when they reached Trabia, the man followed Selphie like a lost puppy. Quistis thought it wasn't wise to mention that he was the lieutenant and he had to be in the meeting with Trabian headmistress. After all, there was still Squall.

Quistis told herself not to think about this lieutenant who had been following _her_ like the lost puppy from the moment she climbed into Trabia Garden. She couldn't even get into a half-damaged ladies room without him waiting outside.

Zell had followed Squall with swollen faces and red eyes. He'd said he dreamt a sad dream when he was being left by someone, and he woke up crying. He was also thinking about Selphie, so he sniffed and wiped his eyes every now and then. Rinoa seemed grumpy from the early morning, and even Irvine didn't bother talking to her, sensing that she would snap given the wrong question.

"Three days are fast. Thank you so much for your help, although we only need about a fifth of that number," said Helena.

_A fifth?_

Sensing everyone's shock, Helena shrugged. "We lost more than two-third of our numbers for various reasons, and ten SeeDs were out looking for materials right now, so there's only thirty four people living in Trabia Garden at the moment."

"Thirty four…" Zell trailed off. "Man…"

Quistis closed her eyes, willing herself not to feel any sympathy for the Trabian. Anything she felt would show on her face, and she was here to help, not to cry over what's already lost. "We have a lot of residents, cadets and SeeDs that will be willing to stay here in Trabia to help you with—"

"No, thanks." Helena raised her hands. "I don't mean to be rude, but us Trabians usually take care of ourselves. We know how to build our Garden from the scratch. The late Trabian headmistress Mia Tilmitt did just that, building the Garden room by room with her friends' help. Thirty four Trabians are enough numbers for us to rebuild whatever we need. Granted, we do need the help with food and medicine, and maybe if you have a doctor, we'd like to ask for medical attention."

"We do have a doctor." Once Quistis told Dr. Kadowaki about it, she'd rush into Trabia Garden looking like she was their doctor from the start. "She will help."

"Great. Thank you about that. Don't worry about the construction part. We also don't need donation, we have enough money. The problem is that our supply room's been obliterated by the missiles..." Helena eyes dimmed. "Along with everything else. We weren't located in the most strategic place in Gaia, so getting new supplies was tough. But once the new supply room is finished, we can fill in provisions and once everyone's healthy again, everything's going back to normal!"

Nothing would go back to normal. What was lost would never be recovered.

This wasn't Quistis's Garden, she couldn't force her way through to help Trabian. If the headmistress thought they could build their own Garden, who was she to say otherwise?

The commander nodded. "I'll tell everyone to bring in the provisions. Squ—Leonhart, go back to Balamb Garden and tell Nida to carry the first batch."

Her lieu was probably cold from the snow, because his voice was freezing when he said, "Affirmative, Commander Trepe."

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

Last time Selphie dug anything in Trabia, it was to hide Amelie's bracelet. Her friend was in love with Tony the squeaky cheater, and he had given her a cheap bracelet. He claimed it was pure gold. Liar. Selphie bit it and it fell apart between her teeth. Amelia shouted at her. Selphie was mad, so she hid the bracelet. Amelie threw her Pocket Station from the third floor. She couldn't find it. Selphie didn't invite Amelie on her farewell party.

Today Selphie dug the earth to hide Amelie.

It took her under ten seconds to break down in front of her mother's tomb. But it was hard to cry in front of her group of friends. Her group of still living Trabian friends, who were busy digging out the frozen soil with their thin white gloves. There was no spade, no shovel, no tools to dig. The storage room was next to the junior class. Selphie was strangely emotional about the spade. She used the hoary spade once to smack Tony on his face after he laughed about Amelie and Selphie's fight on the cafeteria.

Selphie was sad about the cafeteria. She was also sad about the disciplinary room, where Tony, Amelie and she spent hours not talking to each other after the incident.

But there were only enough living people. And a hundred more frozen corpses to bury.

Right now Selphie could offer her hands. She'd use them to dig. Weeks had passed and with the number of living sadly losing to the number of deaths, by the missiles or by diseases afterwards, one person could only dig and bury one a day at most.

There should be any smell. But Trabians were excellent at leaving the corpses out and let the snow froze them. Nobody was covered. They were just taken out from the indoors and left in the pile of snow until someone had time to dig.

No living Trabian had that much time now. They used the time for the living, to regroup, to forage for food and to take care of the sick. Selphie had time. She knew left-out corpses would create disease for the living. She wondered if this meant she wasn't a Trabian anymore.

She had made her priority clear. Amelie first. Next, Tony. Then Tony's sometimes girlfriends Lisa and Rita.

Then she'd dig around for Amelie's bracelet and return it to Amelie. That was the last thing she could do for her.

"You'll be here all day if you do it like that."

A pair of white gloves appeared next to her when she was digging deep into the soil, her shoulder already inside the small hole. Selphie looked up and saw Seifer sliding Amelie's charred corpse next to her.

"And I don't think she'll fit in there," said Seifer. "Get up. I'll do it."

Selphie slid away and watched as bigger hands dig more proficiently around the hole, making bigger round.

"If…" Selphie mumbled. "If we just put her in a fetal position sideways, she'll fit. Then I can dig for three more."

Seifer turned and looked at her. His eyes were unreadable. "Do you want to do that?"

"Yes." Selphie didn't have to point to the pile of bodies arranged next to the dead tree. She knew this was just something she had to do. "It's just her bones, she's no longer here. She won't care."

They moved the body and fitted it into the hole. Amelie loved puzzles. She entered the hole like a piece of missing puzzle in the last place her body would be in Gaia. Somehow, Selphie thought it was fitting. If she had to snap both feet to fit Amelie into the fetal position, it was just unfortunate. The whole situation was unfortunate.

"Everyone's orphan here," Selphie whispered. "There won't be any family waiting to pick up their children's body. This is it for them."

Seifer nodded, eyes on the bones they covered together with frozen earth.

"What about you?" Selphie asked. "If you're dead, how do you want to be buried?"

She thought he didn't hear the question. They covered Amelie and stood up. Their eyes fixed on the new tomb they had created together.

"I'm planning to live forever," Seifer said. "But if I happen to be dead, it's good to have someone who will break my bones so I'll fit into my grave."

Selphie smiled. A tear slid down her cheek.

"Thank you."

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

Sitting next to Squall and Quistis, Zell waved at her when Selphie walked into the basketball court hours later. Seifer was behind her, his hands free of gloves, now hidden inside his coat pockets. Rinoa stood near Squall, she seemed to be deep in thought. Irvine stood below the ring pillar, his eyes on them as they headed towards the team.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" said Selphie. "Thanks so much for coming all the way out here, everyone."

Irvine forced a smile on his face. "Cheer up, eh?"

"Thanks." Selphie stood next to Quistis and faced her. "Take me with you when you fight the sorceress, ok? I need my revenge."

Rinoa coughed, making everyone turn to her. "Um... Do we have to fight? Isn't there another way? To avoid any bloodshed?"

Zell blinked. "Yo! What the... What are you sayin' all of a sudden?"

Rinoa shrugged. "Maybe someone really smart can come up with a way, so we wouldn't have to fight anymore..."

"You were part of a resistance movement in Timber, right?" said Squall. "Unlike others who were all talk, you took to your weapons and fought. And now you're saying all this? What happened to you?"

"I guess I'm just scared. Sometimes when I'm with all of you... I feel like we're on the same wavelength. But when the battles start happening, it's different. Everyone's tempo seems to pick up and... I get left behind. I try to catch up, but it's no use. When I start thinking like that..."

Irvine, who was standing far from the team nodded. "Rinoa, I understand. Someone you love may disappear before your very eyes. It's tough when you live your life thinking that way." He walked to the ball in the middle of the court and picked it up. "But that's why I fight. When I was a little kid... I was in an orphanage." He shot the ball into the ring in one go. "Plenty of kids... It was around the end of the Sorceress War, so I guess it couldn't be helped. Anyway, that's where I was."

Selphie frowned. "Was that orphanage... a stone house?"

Irvine looked at her and smiled. "You guessed it..."

Zell stood up. "An old house made of stone? ...By the ocean?"

"You guessed it... I knew right away, when we first met!"

Selphie opened both hands in exasperation. "Hey, why didn't you tell us?"

"Irvine…" Quistis said, "I always knew we were both adopted and we've been together forever, but why didn't you tell me about them?"

"'Cause you seemed to have forgotten! It just kinda sucked that I was the only one who remembered... Spunky little Sefie and whiny little Zelly."

Selphie hummed. "That is just sooo weird..."

Seifer felt as if the ball had flown and hit his head. The house… the little girls… the wail of the little blonde baby…

He was not the only one. Matron was never just his…

It was a bit different this time. The vessel was bigger, sturdier, but the technicality behind it was the same. _Open the engine hatch, take something out of it, throw it to the ocean, close the hatch_. This would ensure they would be able to leave, but never came back. He liked it that way. _Just don't come back._

"What'chu doing?"

Seifer jumped. The boy looked behind him. "Sssh!"

"You're gonna do something to Matron's guest!" said Selphie. Seifer sighed and turned to face the small girl. He was holding a plate of pie as a cover up for his running to the beach earlier, the screwdriver quickly replaced inside his pocket. "You're not supposed to do that!"

"So what?" Seifer never liked how Matron's guest silently, but obviously, comparing each of them with their own standards of 'perfect child'. It wasn't the first me they had taken a liking to tiny five-year-old Selphie and her smiles and happy talk, it wouldn't be the last. Seifer didn't like the way they pointed to her behind Matron, as if they were in the market choosing meat. Selphie never realized it. Mia Tilmitt, the latest guest of Matron was not different than any other guest before her. Even before she reached the house, she had smiled at Selphie's face when she looked and beamed through the windowpane. The woman had whispered to Matron as they headed into the house.

Seifer didn't like it. At all. "You're not gonna tell Matron. You're not Zelly."

Selphie pursed her lips and stared at him. He hated that look. It was usually the look she made when she was about to do something he would hate.

"All right," said Seifer. He raised the plate in his hand. "I'll give you one slice if you let it go."

Selphie was silent for a while, studying the pie. She raised her chin and said, "Five."

Seifer looked down to his fork and six slices of pie. "No!"

"Five."

"One!"

"Five."

"All right, two!"

"Five."

"You don't listen? I said two! It's my pie!"

"Five."

"Bw—okay, three!"

"Five."

"No, three!"

"Five."

"Three!"

"Five."

"Three!"

"Three."

"Five! Wait, what?"

"Okay, five."

"But-"

Seifer stared in shock as Selphie reached the fork, stabbed one slice and gave it to him. He held the fork and the stabbed slice in one hand as the girl yanked the plate out of his other hand, grinned (he hated this grin too, it always meant he lost) and skipped away. With his five slices of pie.

"Yeah, I remember," said Seifer, glaring at the girl on his side. "I remember it now."

"You do?" said Selphie. "So you remember playing horsie with me when you lost the hopscotch?"

He remembered, all right. He remembered being face planted in the sand and left alone as Selphie yelled and rushed after Zell and Irvine who hopped on his back wanting to join them. Squall chose to sit on the terrace with Quistis, chomping down the snack that was supposedly _for all of them_.

"And-and the fireworks!" Selphie made a circle motion with her hands. "The big fireworks you made!"

Actually, Zell made it. He lit it, and Matron punished him for it because _Zell_ reported him. Squall, Irvine, Quistis and Selphie were next to him, each holding an unlit stick, Zell gave each of them one piece but he was the one holding the lit stick, and thus he was the one who got the punishment.

Life was never fair with him ever since Zell came. He could remember when the others came, he knew he was the first. When did the crybaby come…

"I don't really want to remember anymore," he said. "So we knew each other since we're kids."

Irvine smiled. "Except for Rinoa, we were all there."

Selphie looked at Squall. "Heeey that means..."

"Yeah, " Squall said. "I was there, too. I… was always waiting for 'Sis' to come back." Squall's gaze was hazy, as if he tried to remember something. "Elle... So, Ellone was 'Sis'. She was a bit older than us."

"You mean, Sis is Ellone?" asked Zell.

Selphie nodded. "She's the one that takes us back to Laguna's period."

Squall frowned. "She said she wanted to change the past. I don't know why..."

"There can only be one reason for that," said Quistis. "She must not be happy with the present."

Zell punched his other palm and faced the team. "If that's the case, I'm definitely up for helpin' her! She's part of our orphanage gang!"

Selphie shook her head. "You didn't even remember who she was!"

"This is really strange," said Squall. "I don't think I was adopted. Probably the same with Seifer, too. Even so, he's never mentioned anything about growing up in an orphanage. And nothing about this has ever crossed my mind when I see him, either." He turned to Seifer who was studying the ball in his hand. "Why...?"

Seifer frowned. "I didn't remember."

"That IS strange...!" Selphie said. "In my case, I had loads and loads of fun after going to Trabia. That's probably why I forgot all about my childhood. That's what I think. But I don't know what's up with you guys! It's so odd that you would forget!"

"I...remember, " Quistis mumbled. "Yes, I remember now. I studied in Galbadia Garden at the age of six together with Irvine and transferred to Balamb when I was fourteen. I thought we were orphaned siblings." She looked at Irvine. "I first noticed Seifer and Squall in Balamb. They were always fighting."

"Yeah..." said Squall. "Quistis always used to break us up."

Quistis nodded. "Yes! That's right! Seifer was a kid who always needed to be the centre of attention. But Squall always used to ignore him... But eventually they would end up fighting. Squall could have easily walked away from it, but always took up the challenge. He should've just ignored him, but Squall, almost in tears, would say...'I gotta do my best by myself. Or else I won't be able to see Sis'. I guess I was—" she halted in the middle, her eyes widened.

Squall watched her. "Quistis?"

_Is that it? Am I trying to replace 'Sis'? Is that what I'm trying to do all this time? So it's not…_ Quistis looked down. "Um… I remember now. Dad gave me Cerby..."

Seeing everyone's confusion, Irvine said, "Martine adopted us. We legally used his name, but only in paper."

"Waaaiittt a minute. You're the headmaster's children, both of you?" Zell frowned and looked at Selphie. "Am I the only one seeing the pattern here…?"

"I always knew my mom wasn't the one giving birth to me," said Selphie. "But she's my mom, always was."

"Headmaster's child… that means…?" Zell stared at Squall, who shook his head.

"No," he said.

Seifer shrugged when everyone turned to study him. "So what if Cid adopted me? Doesn't matter much in the end, does it?"

"Holy…!" Zell jumped and pointed at Seifer. "I always wondered why Cid gave you a huge allowance!"

"You got an allowance from Cid?" asked Quistis. "So Almasy is the headmaster's last name?"

"No, it's not, I don't use _Kramer_ as a last name. It's just… you know, why are we talking about me?" Seifer raised his hand as if to ward personal questions off him. "Yes, the money in my wallet came from him, but nowadays I get my own pay check so I don't get allowance anymore."

"You are _the_ _headmaster's pup_!" Zell said. "I was always so jealous when everything you did bounce off you like nothing's ever happened! You are _Cid's pup_!"

"You are the headmaster's son?" said Rinoa. "No wonder Cid agreed to help me when I just met him for such a cheap fee! You should have told me about this earlier!"

"Um…" Selphie peered at Squall. If he glowered a little more, the court ground would start burning under his gaze. "Come on, guys, we're not talking about the headmaster right now, aren't we?"

"The pup, the pup," Zell sang, "The puppy pup got his cute pellet, his little mallet and his big wallet from daddy pup…"

"I bought my own Hyperion," said Seifer with gritted teeth, "would you like to check out my puppy blade, crybaby Zelly?"

Zell snapped his mouth shut.

"As I was saying," said Irvine quickly, "Quistis was given a GF by Dad when we were little. She was trained to be a SeeD. I didn't. I never used one until much later when I got Brothers, and that was only for a short few days. That got me wondering. How about this? The price we pay for using the GF. The GF provides us its power. But the GF makes its own place inside our brain..."

"So you're saying that the area is where our memories are stored?" said Quistis. "No...! That's just a rumour the GF critics are spreading."

"Then how is it that I remember, while everyone else has forgotten? Well...?"

Quistis turned to Selphie. "How about you, Selphie? Your first experience with the GF was when you came to Balamb Garden, right?"

"Yeah..." Selphie bit her lip. "I have a confession to make! When I was 12, I went to an outdoor training session. I found a GF inside one of the monsters I defeated... I junctioned that GF for a while. So I have experience with GF, too. But...but, it's really weird! I can't remember the name of that GF!"

Quistis shook her head. "So what should we do?"

"What should we do?" said Squall. "Nothing. You wanna stop using GF now? As long as we continue fighting, we're indebted to the powers of the GF. If there's a price I have to pay for that, I'll gladly pay it."

Quistis turned away from Squall. _Of course you did. When had you ever cared about memories?_

"Heeey, I know!" said Selphie. "Let's all keep a diary! That way we'll always have something to remind us!"

"Yeah..." Zell mumbled. "I don't care if I forget about my childhood, when Seifer used to pick on me." Seifer frowned, as if wanting to say something about that, but decided to stay quiet. "What's important to me now is having the power to protect my mother in Balamb. She adopted me. There's no way I'm lettin' go of that power!"

Quistis looked up, as if she was memorizing something else. "Do you all remember Matron?"

Zell nodded. "She was always wearin' black... I see a resemblance. Matron... She looks like..."

Selphie put her fingers in front of her lips, murmuring, "Wait... I just pictured her face, and..."

"Very kind..." whispered Quistis. "Long black hair... Yes, I really admired her."

Seifer shook his head. "You guys still don't understand? Matron's name is Edea Kramer. Matron IS Sorceress Edea."

Selphie's eyes widened. "Matron... Sorceress Edea... Why is the Matron...?"

"Why?"said Irvine. "You're wondering why Matron would take over a country, or fire missiles and whatnot? At this point, we probably wouldn't comprehend it even if we talked about it. SeeD and Garden were all Matron's ideas, right? I'm not a SeeD, but I share the same feeling with all of you. SeeDs are supposed to fight the sorceress, right?"

He stood in front of the team. "Are you guys listening? So... I understand what Rinoa's saying. But I'm still gonna fight. I want to stay true to everything I've stood for. I'm sure it's the same for everyone. That's why I thought it'd be best if everyone knew we would have to face Matron. I know our opponent is Matron, whom we all love very much. We all grew up together. But due to various circumstances, we were all separated. As a kid, you couldn't really go out on your own. Now we're strong enough to take care of ourselves. Make our own decisions... Do we fight Matron or not...? I say we fight. Hey, at least it'll keep us together a little longer."

Zell was the first to nod. "Let's do it. We can't run from her for the rest of our lives."

Selphie stared at the ground, but she gave her nod of assent. "It's just… not the way I thought it would be…"

"Zell's right." Quistis nodded. "We can't run from her forever."

"It's up to you if you want to join us or not, Rinoa," said Squall. "But we're gonna fight. If that makes any sense at all, come with us."

Rinoa studied her hands. "You guys are fearless."

Squall shook his head. "There's a difference between scared to death and scared of not doing what's need to be done. Nobody's fearless." He turned to the other gunblader in the court. "What about you?"

"I always knew she was Matron," said Seifer. "If I followed her…"

"Then you'll be the one destroying everything," said Quistis. "Is that what you want?"

"It's not the same with you guys. You guys left her. Even you, Squall," Seifer said to Squall who tilted his head. "You were the one who left first to Garden. I was the first to come and I never leave. I remember everything about her, about Cid, but never about you guys after I tried on GF. That's why—I—" Seifer closed his eyes. "Fine. We'll do it. I don't have to like it, but… let's do it."

"You sure?" asked Zell. "In a way, she's your mother, right?"

"No, I'm not sure. But what does it matter? If I have to fight, I'll fight."

"That's good enough for now," said Quistis. "Now we need to get back to Garden and see if we can do something about…" she trailed off. "What if we check out Edea's orphanage? We might find a clue to why Matron turned out like this."

"Hey, that's a good idea," said Zell. "At the very least we can remember stuff we'd forgotten."

Rinoa nodded. "I'll join you guys then. I'm not going to be the only one not in this fight! Let's do it together!"

Seifer watched the rest of the group filed out of the court. He ambled behind, not sure he wanted to do what he had just said he would do. He wasn't sure he wanted to fight his own… but she was the sorceress. She was no longer Matron…

"Hey!" someone called him. Seifer saw a brown-haired SeeD headed to him. "Selphie's gone? Can you tell her to meet me later after dinner?"

"Who are you?"

"Helena, the acting headmistress," said Helena, raising her hand. "You are?"

Seifer took the hand. "Seifer Almasy."

"Oh! We talked in PCS, right? Great, so you're close to Selphie!" Helena took something out of her pocket and handed it to Seifer. "I was thinking about giving this to her, but if you're here, I'll just give it to you."

Seifer accepted Selphie Card. "What about this?"

"It was Amelie's. Selphie gave it to her a few years ago. In Trabia, giving someone your Card and holding to it means that the person worth a lot to you. Amelie…" Helena took a deep breath. "Well, she was really devastated when she knew Selphie left Trabia. She asked me to ship this to Balamb so Selphie could give this to someone else… but…" Helena shrugged. "Anyway… tell Selphie I'll see her after dinner and give this Card back to her, will you? Thanks!"

Seifer watched Helena leave, and stared down to Selphie Card in his hand.

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

She called _both of them_. Why was it only one came? Where was the other one? The noisy one, the one who acted as their buffer? Where was that damn Almasy?

"So…" Quistis had to start sooner or later. She handed Squall the paper without looking up from the document on her desk. "This is the medical and supply report from the cadets I assigned to help carrying provisions down to Trabia. I'd like you to recheck the numbers and reenter the overall stocks we have left after they are done."

Even without looking at him, she knew he had nodded.

"Headmistress Helena said there is a small village around here, but their food isn't for human, that's why Trabians can't ask for their help. I'd like to see that village before we leave for Centra." This was Seifer's job, but if he wasn't available, the brooding one would do. "When we leave, tell Nida to steer to that village. Please don't forget to tell Seifer about this. If he can, you two go down together to check on the village residents and situations. I think non-human village will be an interesting change of pace for Balamb Garden residents."

"I will."

Why did he sound so calm? Why did she get antsy about being in the same room with him? The same office room where—speaking of which had she locked the window this time? And why did she think about _the window_? What was she _thinking_? Stop.

"If the villagers turn out to be hostile, do not hold your ground. Fight only when possible. If anything else fails, just do what you're good at," she said.

"Good at?"

"Just run. You're an expert of running away."

"Running away?"

"It is, after all, your skill." She hated how calm he sounded. Why did she have to be the one ruffled about this? Why couldn't she just calm down? "Forget it. Just—" _Stop. Where was that reset button for mouth? Stop thinking about mouth, Quistis!_

"You didn't want me to go?" he said, eyes on the document he held with both hands. Quistis didn't realize he had hunched down, but he was, bangs covering his eyes and to anyone else, he looked as if he was just talking about the mission. "Is that it? You wanted me to stay, making out with you on top of your desk until everyone ran in and saw what we were doing?" He tilted his head to the side. If she didn't know better, she would've thought he was still looking down. The fact that she knew he was staring at her under all that hair and pretend hunch shouldn't be at all comforting. "You wanted me to do more than that, until your fiancé came in and saw us?"

Fiance. She blinked and looked down.

_This is getting ugly._

"No—" she said, "I don't want that."

"Then what?" When she glanced up, he had placed his hands over both sides of her hands and looked down. Not at her, at the document she held. Now that was fast, but it wasn't like she didn't know how fast he could move—stop thinking about it. "What do you want me to do?"

She didn't want him to do anything. Quistis looked down. She didn't want him to do it again.

"I don't know about your fiancé," he said. His voice sounded so stale, without a hint of anything under his stony façade. "But I wouldn't like my fiancée kissing her subordinate. Or anyone but me."

"He's—" Quistis looked up and stopped herself in time. "Don't tell him," was what she could stutter, rather meekly, in the end. Of course Seifer would never have to know. Why would he?

If anything, his eyes snapped to her face and the colour of his orbs grew darker.

"Hide everything If you wish," he said. "I'm not a tattle teller."

"Great," Quistis said, "thanks." Which, under the circumstances, was probably shouldn't something she ever said. Especially not now.

"I don't play anything other than Card," he said, his voice now in a whisper, "and I sure won't play around with anyone other than my fiancé."

Quistis moved her head back. "I don't think we should talk about this further," she said. "I hope we agree that we should put this behind us."

He studied her expression. She showed nothing. She hoped.

"Of course, Commander," he said. "We'll see how long it lasts."

In one swift motion, he turned, took his mission paper and gone.

Quistis was left staring at her documents.

What the hell had just happened? Had she just argued about hiding a kiss—_stop it, it's not even a kiss—not a good kiss—okay, not a kiss_—from her fake fiancé with someone who worked under her command?

And with Squall, no less!

If only Quistis could find a humour in all this. Why she even bothered to bring it up? Why did she have to mention something that was supposedly a fleeting moment? The only thing that was amusing, perhaps, that this was Squall. She thought he was a rather disturbed boy.

Disturbed, he was. Now he was affecting her too, to think that she was still thinking about a mere—well, a kiss—more than a kiss—

With a man—no, a boy who didn't even know how to kiss! The obvious amateur had torn her lips! How low could she go?

_No_. Quistis dropped her head down to her folded arms. _Don't answer that._

x-x-x-x-x

x-x-x-x-x

* * *

To Be Continued…


	33. Doppelganger

Chapter 33

**Doppelganger**

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

This couldn't be happening. Not when everything was running so smoothly.

_Huh?_

But then again, maybe it's some kind of law. Perhaps there was a name for this kind of situation. Where she was ready to assist him in battle, and everything was all set and perfect, this happened.

_In battle? What is this? Where am I?_

Her steps hesitant and unsure as her small black flats traced the stone floor, gliding through the dark ambience of the warm chamber. Last week the construction was delayed since the material got stuck in the middle of Esthar and Galbadia. Edmund had said that at this rate, the king would have to be dead first before they managed to finish the rest of the tomb.

Damn Edmund, damn his accurate prediction.

_Edmund? Who is Edmund? Where am I? Hey, these aren't my shoes! …Are they? No, I only have my SeeD boots and my… since when am I wearing a black skirt like this? Where am I? Who is this I'm in? Help!_

She opened the door, peering in. A massively built soldier bent upon a square rock in the middle, his brown hair perched upon his folded arms on top of the lip of the massive stone coffin. They hadn't had a chance to order the lid. The soldier was sobbing. She went in and closed the door, her back to the door as she placed the back of her head on it, closing her eyes. Grief bathed her like the thick, warm blood during her sacrificial ceremony. Her head was screaming something sounded like déjàvu, but she was already here for weeks, this place was familiar to her. What déjàvu? Sometimes she wondered if hearing voices inside her head meant she was closer to insanity, just like Adel.

_Insanity? I'm not insanity! I'm Selphie! Hello! Hey, are you listening?_

The soldier looked behind him, his grey eyes filled with tears.

"I should have been there," he croaked. "I should have been one of the front line soldiers. I am the only one capable of protecting him. Instead, he told me to stay here… Me and my brother…. And for what?" He returned his forehead to his folded arms in front of him, his massive shoulders shaking. "For what, Your Highness? _For what?_"

She should have said that it didn't matter if he was there or not, but she had seen Stephan fought and killed monsters around the tomb, and she bit her lip before she agreed with him. Stephan was a giant, heavy and powerful, and his brother Edmund, small, lean and handy with sharp hatchet, was also an extremely proficient fighter.

_**And look what the idiots turned into,**_ said Diablos. _**Clowns.**_

**We were this close to being invisible had you not open your wide mouth**, said Ifrit. _**This**_** close.**

_Diablos? Ifrit? Why are you two here? Where are we? Why can't I control my body?_

_**Because it is not your body, little pup,**_ said Diablos. _**Popcorn?**_

_What? What do you… oh. I am in another dream, am I? This… isn't this inside the Tomb of the Unknown King? And who is the King… SEIFER!_

Inside the stone he lay, silent and cold. His eyes closed, his grey cloak in tatters around him, as if trying to protect its owners against doom and lost. Everything on him was torn apart. He was torn apart. Deep cuts long and wide marring his flesh, dried blood framing his previously unblemished figure. A pool of dark, almost black liquid beneath him, ocean of black death eating away the colour of his cloak, the paleness of his body, the back of his head.

Yet there he was, silent, still and proud, just as the King she knew he was.

If only his neck was not several centimetres apart from his shoulders, and she was not staring at the empty space between it, she would have believed he was sleeping.

_Noooo!_

**Shush, pup**_, said Diablos. __**Look again. Closely.**_

_That… isn't Seifer? His face is…_

**Same but not really? **Ifrit said. **Interesting, isn't it? He was Seifer but you knew he wasn't.**

_He's not Seifer! It's not! They look the same but he's not!_

_**You know, I think we can actually teach her a thing or two,**_said Diablos. _**Let's split it;**_ _**you're the one taking over the potty training and I'm going to get my rolled up newspaper. Back soon.**_

Her lover was dead. Just a week ago he woke her up with kisses and caressed her, murmuring that he was sorry he had to leave to the battlefield while all he wanted to do was stay in her bed, next to her and study the tiny planes of her shoulder blades and how many small sun kissed freckles hidden along her-

_**Whooo hooo**_, groaned Diablos. _**Back up, children's time! Time for a quiz!**_

_I can't hear a thing she was thinking, Diablos!_

**The first question for the Little Lady is from me, **said Ifrit. **How many is a hundred?**

_What?_

**Second, what is Seifer Almasy's name? **Ifrit asked.

_Ifrit!_

_**Oh, look! Commercial's over!**_ Diablos said.

Now everything had fallen apart. With the ruler of Galbadia dead, soon Deling would rise and claim that the city named after him be his alone, and other cities would fight each other in chaos, claiming themselves the ruler of Galbadia. They were hit hard with the war broke out from Esthar and Fisherman's Horizon area. Parts of Dollet were bombed yesterday. Cid had sent a note that her King was there to help evacuating the residents out of the small town, but they were separated and people hid Cid when Estharian soldiers marched into the town, thousands in number…

He was supposed to win this battle. She had taught him everything a human King should know about sorcery. Everything, but her own small little secrets. Her little secrets that had nothing to do with him or their relationship. That she had nothing left worth it on her own. That she was sterile unless she mated with a being of her own. That she was born of a sorceress and the Knight, her family as pure blooded as a Daughter of Magic could be, and as a pure-blood she could…

She could…

The sorceress stared at the man in the coffin. She raised her hand to the back of the sobbing soldier's head and murmured, "Sleep."

Stephan's cries faded, his shoulder slack and his hands fallen to his side. She pushed the soldier away from the coffin and he fell to the side with a boneless slump.

She could prevent the mass genocide. She could change the future.

_**What an idiot**_, said Diablos. _**Still an idiot.**_

_Why? What's wrong with her wanting to prevent mass genocide?_

**Sometimes leading with your heart and not your brain is what's wrong,** said Ifrit. **In this case, lying to yourself is what's wrong.**

_I don't get it._

She raised her head and spread her hands wide. "Bahamut's Mate!" She called.

_Bahamut's Mate?_

_**Ain't she popular**_, said Diablos.

"Listen to my offer, Bahamut's Mate. Listen to my sacrifice for my perfect host. I offer my right to have any Daughter of Magic. There will be no female born from my womb. Loan me a soul in return, a soul to fill the body in front of me. For he shall be linked to me and my flame of life as long as I live, and his life diminished when I have returned to you."

_Perfe-cough! COUGH! WHAT? WHAT IS THIS?_

**Ellone is cruel**, said Ifrit, **she should have chosen someone else for this past.**

_**I think she's smart,**_ said Diablos, _**this saves us a lot of explanation. No perfect host is allowed to be this clueless.**_

**For Hyne's sake, Dio...** said Ifrit.

_**Oh yeah**_, said Diablos,_** I met Him last century on Doomtrain's party. He hated that, you know. Being popular sucks for him.**_

The warm, unfamiliar light timbre echoed in her head._ I see you're confused, my sweet raven. Usually sorceress killed her knight so she can raise him as the perfect host for the chance to get pregnant and bear a daughter to transfer their magic before they return to me. You do realize you are sterile to anyone but your own perfect host, my sweet raven? I do accept something else valuable of yours but your womb._

"I am sure you knew my mother," she said, her tone flat, "one of the usual sorceresses without common sense who killed their knights. She offered the whole family fortune for him. I have nothing. I am the poor, not usual, have-nothing-else-to-offer sorceress. My womb and my age are all I have."

_Well_, said the amused voice, _then..._

"If I offer my age, both of us will die too soon. I have to live long enough for both of us so my King will reach his goal to defeat Adel."

_Adel_, said the voice in exasperation, _of course it's all about her. What do you expect from a Daughter of Magic who was sold by her insane mother to a noble? She had no learnings, none. She had no idea what she was, nobody's teaching that lost one a thing. _

"She has an idea now," said the sorceress. "She has too many ideas and she made the rules on her own."

_Hmph_, the voice said, _you pass on the chance for a peaceful return and instead lose it all for this man?_

"I pass on a chance on having myself a daughter born from my womb," said the sorceress. "I can always transfer to another willing sorceress later."

_Not many sorceress will make this offer for just one man, _said the voice.

"This _one man_ is a king of Galbadia, beheaded in battle before his time. I am willing to not have my own child to save millions of other children already living in pain out there. The continent will fall without its ruler, and this man…" the sorceress murmured, watching the face of the man she had grown to like, and wish to see for the rest of her life, "this man is the best King I have ever known."

_How prudent of you to say that when you only know one King_, said the voice. _But very well, I'll take your right to bear a daughter, and I'll loan you a soul for your perfect host. Quite a pity your future union won't make you happy._

She took a deep breath and refused to return the contemptuous voice of her own blood ancestor. A pain shot through her stomach, invincible claw reached into her and ripped away her right, leaving the sorceress screamed and buckled to her knees, hands holding her stomach in pain. She leaned her head on the side of the coffin, wondering if the pain didn't come from her own head, grieving the loss of her dream. Now she would never be a mother. She would never have her own family. She would never have a little Daughter of Magic of her own.

_You little kids and your dramatic emotion,_ said the voice, this time a highhanded note rich filling her head. _You just raise yourself a cute little master of the world as your perfect host, and what did you do? Mourning what you never have in the first place! Whatever. I'm done with your generation._

She grimaced when a sharp _zing_ went out of her right ear and slumped beside the coffin. This was the best thing she could do for anyone. She had no treasure and no family of her own. The poor pure-blood sorceress was all alone. Even if she was granted a Daughter of Magic, spells wouldn't be able to feed her little mouth. The King met an untimely death, and now he was alive. The continent would be saved from infighting. Her own life was not worthy compared to the future of Galbadia.

Something ran from the top of her head to her nape. She shivered.

"I know I said the sizing of this box is incorrect, but I did not realize the two of you would make me a sizing model for my own coffin."

The sorceress looked up, eyes wide as she watched the King lean his body to the same side she was kneeling on. The man sighed as he raised his gloves and removed the tattered materials off his hands.

"This is really uncomfortable," he said, massaging his neck and frowned at the stiffness of his muscles. He shrugged his tattered cloak and shirt from his smooth, unmarked body. "Please remind me to contact Timber after the battle and re-ordered the coffin, this time with some linings and pillows on it." He stood up and stepped out of the box, eyes on the sleeping form of Stephan. "He looks exhausted. If I have time, I will wake him up and thank him for bringing me here, but alas, I am needed on the battlefield. Cid can never pick up a spear. He would impale half our platoon."

The King turned to his sorceress. His hand raised and caressed her face. She stared, her throat dry as he smiled and pulled her close.

"You are pale, my love," he whispered, hands enveloping her to him. "How many days now have you stayed up and healed my wounds? I blame Cid. He should have never sent me here if I am injured too badly. I am content to die in the middle of the battlefield." He frowned when he saw her face shadowed. "Please do not think negatively about what I had just said. I am grateful that you saw me back to health and that you were the one healing me. As always, my love, it seems that I am forever bound to you and owe you my life."

_**If only you knew…**_ sang Diablos.

**Hyne, it was all tragically romantic until you open your mouth,** said Ifrit.

_**Although it's complimentary for you to think I'm Him, I don't wanna be Hyne**_, said Diablos. _**Too much work.**_

_I feel sick._

_**Me, too**_, said Diablos. _**So cheesy!**_

**Barf on him, Little Lady, **said Ifrit. **Please?**

The sorceress closed her eyes when the familiar touch of his warm lips pressed upon her shocked, frozen one. She raised her hands, pulling him closer, folding her fingers on his nape, savouring his touch, his desire, the flame of his passion… the one thing that made her offer her own future without hesitation. His love worth more than any Daughter of Magic she could bear.

She loved him. She would do anything for him. She did just that, and now, they would be together.

He pulled his head away, longing in his eyes. "I need to change into my armour and left, but… right now I cannot think about anything but you. What do you suggest I do about it, my love?"

"Take me to my chamber," she whispered.

His opulent laughter, the one she thought she would never hear again, filled the room, as he swooped her up his arms and marched out of the door. She swayed in his embrace, leaning her head to his shoulders, and drinking the peace from the gentle motion, knowing that…

"Ouch!" Selphie groaned and rubbed her head. She looked forward from her position on the floor and glared at her bedside table. The clock read two AM. Pushing herself up, she scowled to the messy blanket and torn sheet of her SeeD bed. "Great," she mumbled. "Just what I need. All angst with no happy things even in a dream."

_**Ellone-brand censor**_, said Diablos. _**Too bad, I always enjoyed the censored scene.**_

**I think she abruptly wakes up from her own dream too,** said Ifrit. **But for this one, I sadly have to say I agree with you.**

"So when did I die?" Selphie asked.

Silence.

"Guys? Who is my sorceress?"

_**So sleepy…**_ said Diablos.

**We're turning in for the night,** said Ifrit. **Thanks for the chance of seeing that romance up close. You should get some more sleep, Little Lady.**

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

_**Zzzz…**_ Diablos snored.

**Mhm…** murmured Ifrit. **Ghzzmmzzz…**

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

The dome was massive, dark copper in colour and shaped like a turtle, with two spidery lean legs on the side hanging outward and gripping the earth to support the dome during regular storms in the winter continent. On the right of the egg-shaped entrance, a bright blue console beeped as Seifer clicked and mumbled through the menu, a hand on his hip as another pressed the touch-sensitive screen.

Selphie ran her fingers through the invisible draw point on the left of the egg-shaped entrance. She knew this place, most Trabians did, but other than learning about Shumi Village from afar, they avoid coming here. There was nothing much to gain by coming here, and walking through the winter storm from Trabia Garden to come visit Shumis weren't all that rewarding.

"Seify," she said. "Do you have five thousand Gils?"

"Huh?" the man grumbled. "For what?"

"Ultima. I can't draw unless I put some money in the box," said Selphie, motioning to the ground where a small metal box was nailed to the ground next to the draw point, and a piece of laminated paper was in front of it, read: ULTIMA-5000 GIL.

Without looking at her, Seifer pulled the wallet from his inside coat pocket and threw it to her vicinity. "How do you open this thing?" he demanded after a series of loud beep sounded from the console.

"Bang on it," she replied, pulling out his money and counted five thousand Gil. She drew the Ultima while the thump-bang-thump sounded from her right, and after a while, the entrance made a resigned noise as it opened slowly.

The elevator consisted of six ottomans made from stone, three on each side of the clean, blue coloured panel wall. Behind the ottomans, a big console sat between two blue-circle wall speakers. Seifer nudged the big brown rug with a familiar Old World marking spread between the six ottomans with his boot and shook his head while he took the centre ottoman on the right side of the door. Selphie ran in and hummed as she spun around in the middle of the rug.

"Cool!" she said. "If only Balamb's elevator looks like this!"

"I got a feeling they're rich from what I heard about NORG, but not this rich that they're show offs," said Seifer, accepting the wallet she handed to him. He pocketed his wallet and looked up at her. She studied his face with a frown. "What?"

A grunted pain sounded from the entrance. Gloved hands forced away the almost closed door. Squall stumbled in and fell to the rug on his left knee, huffing. He looked around with a glower and patted an invisible dust from his leather pants as he stood up and took the centre ottoman on the left side. The door waited a bit, as if asking if there was more joining in, before it closed for the last time.

Seifer raised his brow, but said nothing when Squall bent down where he sat and put his hands on his knees looking down to the rug. He turned his attention to Selphie when the girl placed her hands on both sides of his face and stood between his legs.

"I thought he was you," said Selphie, peering down at him. "But he's not, wasn't he? He's different."

"I'm not going to pretend I understand that."

A blimp from the console revealed a Shumi hologram. It wore a green robe, waved its left hand around and said, "Welcome to Shumi Village!" Everyone in the elevator ignored it as it sputtered the fact about 323 meters depth of the village from the outer world and any other details about the place they were about to visit.

"Hmm, let's see…" Selphie patted Seifer's shoulders from his neck to his arms, as if measuring the width. "Shoulders are similar. Hair, similar." She ran her fingers through his hair, down to his nape, and he shuddered. "His were a little longer and brighter. Height… I think it's the same." She pulled his hands up and gripped his hands with her smaller ones. She looked to each hand on the side of her head and nodded. "Hands, the same." Releasing his hands, her hands danced back to his face and her ring fingers smoothed his half-closed eyelids. "Eyes, same colour. Your lashes were a lot darker." She moved her fingers lightly through every strand of his eyelashes, memorizing the light feeling of each long lashes with the sensitive nubs of her small fingers. His eyelids wavered under her touch. "A lot darker. His were transparent. But lips…" Selphie bent down a little, her face only a few centimetres from his. He stared up at her, his eyes half-closed and his body relaxed.

_**Sometimes I think she's not as innocent as we all thought,**_ said Diablos in her head.

**Hmm,** Ifrit said.

"His lips were thicker." Her fingers skated on the warm pink colour of his lips, and the side of his lips curled up. "Nose… his were bigger on the bone area, and the turn…" she ran her index finger down his nose, and his nose twitched. "It's not the same. The brow bone..." her fingers reached and pressed the bone above Seifer's relaxed eyebrows, caressing his skin. "His brow bones were a lot more prominent. His jaws were stronger…" she traced his face down to his jaws and trailed her fingers down to his chin.

Bright sparks filled Seifer's eyes as Selphie shadowed her fingers up and caressed his cheekbones. His hands looped behind the small of her back and pulled her body closer. Selphie swayed a bit as she leaned on his chest and studied his cheekbones. He gazed up, his chin close to her chest, arms held her front steady on his upper body.

_**Should we stop them?**_ Diablos said.

**Why?** Ifrit said.

_**You're right,**_ said Diablos. _**I'll get us a drink. Something soda.**_

"Your cheekbones are the same," said Selphie, caressing his cheek. "Your chin is so similar." With both hands she trailed his jaw, her thumbs rubbing his chin, to the dimple caused by the shadow of a smile he broke on his lips. "I guess the basic structure must be the same because you are each other's doppelganger…"

He raised one of his hands and placed it on her nape. "Tell me it's not what I think it is."

"It's not what I think it is."

Seifer grinned and pulled her face down on him. Selphie's eyes widened as his lips pressed to hers, her hands tightened on his jaws as he skated his lips down to her chin. He pressed butterfly kisses on her cheek, to her temple, to her brow, her eyelid, her nose, and back to her lips. She closed her eyes, opened her lips slightly and he delved into, sneaking warm sensation inside her—they fell down from the ottoman as a force knocked him to the side.

"What the f—" said Seifer from the floor. Selphie released a confused moan next to him. He looked up.

The ignorant prince of Whatever was standing beside his ottoman, glaring at him. Disgust clear in his eyes.

"Hello?" said a voice from the door. Seifer turned to see a small Shumi standing outside the open elevator door. The shumi bounced when it saw them. "Wow! A visitor!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

Quistis made her way to the meeting point, but let her eyes wander around the rich green lush of vegetables, the glowing rocks and yellow soil on the neat pathway between rows of beautiful houses.

If Seifer didn't come stomping back to the Garden and inform her, with an infuriated voice, that the damn other lieutenant was waiting for her here amongst the beauty of Shumi Village, she wouldn't believe it. Selphie returned with him, her tone almost huffy as she told the commander that she had to retrieve the Moomba Doll she got from a man named Grease Monkey and get back to the Village to help an elder. Selphie then told Seifer not to bother coming back because the Artisan didn't appreciate human blood and scraps of leather all over his workshop.

Seifer then yelled at the commander because Quistis didn't allow him to go to the Training Centre. But what could she do? They only have one T-rexaur left, the other had vanished mysteriously during the course of weeks since they left FH. She thought she could investigate, and found the culprit in just one guess, but she was trying hard not to have any conversation outside work with that culprit.

Quistis stared at the culprit huddling over a pile of rocks next to a building with a big sign aptly named 'HOTEL!'. He bent over the pile of rocks, took each stone, examining it, turning it over, sniffing each stone, putting them down gently and turn his attention to another pile a few steps away.

She stopped and waited behind him as he picked up another stone, then said, "I don't think you can condense an explanation for this in 'Whatever'."

He jerked and fell to his behind. He turned back and frowned at her, still holding the stone. He opened his mouth and said, "I'm looking for a stone."

Quistis studied his face, noting that there were several light cuts on his face, something that could only be made by a sharp blade. His pants were slashed in several parts, but he looked more annoyed than hurt. "A stone. What an appropriately named item. You're looking in the right place."

"It's for a sculpture." He dropped the stone in his hand and stood up, sighing. "Do you have Cure?"

Quistis raised her hand and transferred Cure into his hand. His hand kept holding her when the transfer was done.

"Your fiancé was cured by Selphie," he said, studying her expression as he kept holding her.

She thinned her lips as she tried to wrench her hand free. "I'm going to assume the two of you boys fought over who got the best stone?"

He scowled. "No. But I won."

"And I'm supposed to say 'Yay, you won.', right?" she said. "Wooohoo, yay, you won. Hands off."

He released her hand along with something that sounded like a curse. "You're late."

"I see you amused yourself with your stones while waiting for me anyway." She walked ahead of him. "Reports?"

He trailed behind her. "As you can see, the village is peaceful. Shumis were intelligent beings, and they live a bit longer than human, so they accumulated bigger wealth and knowledge than us. They also evolved into a form during a course of their lives, and some can turn into Moomba. I think the Moombas from the prison were kidnapped from here, because usually they were too respectful to be servants to humans."

Quistis nodded, looking behind her when Squall tapped her shoulder and gestured to a building as they walked. "That's the Elder's Hut. He's not interested in an official meeting. They had no interest in the outside world, but there are some Shumis who were travelling here and there to accumulate riches."

"NORG," said Quistis.

"Yes. It appears that the Shumis have connections with people from Fisherman's Horizon. One of them created the hologram in the elevator and the Artisan is now creating a sculpture based on a man."

"So will this village accept our residents coming over to visit and study their culture for a few days?"

"Provided you pay them with money and don't disturb them while at work, yes." Squall pointed to another building ahead of them. "That's the Artisan's Hut. I was collecting elemental stones for him."

"Is Water one of them?" Quistis asked, eyeing a small pond next to the path.

"Yes."

"There's a blue pebble in that pond," she said.

Squall bent over the pond and picked it up, ignoring his wet sleeve and frowning at it. "Hmm."

"I'll get back to Garden and tell everyone to come here, then," said Quistis as Squall pocketed the stone. "There's a Chocobo Forest nearby, and Irvine asked me if I can accompany him to catch a Chocobo."

"I'll go with you," he said.

"Fine. I'll ask Seifer to capture some monsters from this area to fill in the Training Centre. An ingrate had decimated our beasts' number." Quistis turned back to the elevator, but a grip on her arm stopped her. She looked at Squall. "What?"

"I changed my mind."

Quistis frowned. "About?"

He gazed at her with that strange look again. "Your fiancé," he said, almost unheard although they were next to each other. "You're not married yet."

They wouldn't, but what was he talking about? "I don't understand. Is this something to do about his mission?"

"You can play around as much as you like."

She drew a blank stare. After she exhaled the frustration, she shook her head. "This again?" She shook her arm free. "I thought we agreed that it's none of your business."

"You agreed it was to put behind us," he said, following her. "I said nothing of it."

"No, you said—" Quistis rolled her eyes. He would love it if she remembered what he was saying, wouldn't he? "Enough about this."

"Just so he won't find out," he said. "It's better if you just have one little secret."

She frowned. "I don't get it."

"It's better if you play around with just a person who won't tell." He paced ahead of her and turned his head to face her bewilderment. "Someone who he won't think is the one."

She stopped. "What?"

No way. It couldn't be this ridiculous…

He was standing right in front of her. Squall shrugged. "You're not married yet. Anyone else would be a precarious secret." As if Quistis said anything to it, he quickly added, "It was obvious if you calculate the risk and the worth behind the game."

Her eyes widened. She gave a choked laugh, trying to stop herself from chortling in front of the oblivious man. It hit her so hard she couldn't stop herself from reacting.

It was that ridiculous.

"It's…" she said between trying to hold her hysterical laughter and punch him in the face. "It's none of your business if I want to have an affair. Or not. You know what? What does it matter anyway what I do with my life?" She held her hand up when he opened his mouth. "Providing I am that kind of person, the one who cheats behind my fiance's back, what makes you think I'll choose you?"

His grey orbs turned black. His jaw tensed as he swallowed.

"Just…" she faltered. "Just do your job and don't worry about me. Thanks, but no thanks." She moved past him, ignoring his glare on her back.

When she had wanted him, he had pushed her away. Now he thought she belonged to someone else, and he offered her an affair? A game to one-upped his rival! The nerve of…!

She had to get away from him, otherwise the first strangulation victim of her new whip would be the man who had given it to her.

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-

To Be continued…


End file.
